According to Mundo Deportivo, Tottenham Hotspur will be able to permanently secure the services of Giovani Lo Celso for a fee of €32 million in the upcoming January transfer window. The midfielder initially moved to Spurs in the summer, in a €16 million loan move from Real Betis, with an obligation to make the transfer permanent for €40 million next summer if the club manages to qualify for the Champions League.
However, with Spurs looking likely to miss out on Champions League, they might be able to sign Lo Celso permanently for just €32 million. But should they exercise that option? In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of the player’s permanent move to north London.
Pros
Lo Celso has impressed the onlookers after returning from a long injury layoff at the end of last month. With Christian Eriksen not playing a key role anymore and Dele Alli struggling with form, the Argentine’s presence has given Mauricio Pochettino an additional option in the final third.
Should Eriksen leave the club in January, Lo Celso would appear as the ideal replacement for the Danish playmaker. He has had experience of playing not only in midfield but also in attack during his time at Real Betis. He would, therefore, arguably be a more versatile option when compared to Eriksen.
Lo Celso has already raised a lot of eyebrows with his performances against Crvena Zvezda, helping Tottenham win 4-0. And the 23-year-old is looking better and better as he recovers fully from the hip injury that derailed his progress earlier in the campaign.
Tactically, Lo Celso has the technical quality to become an asset in Pochettino’s efficient system that revolves around quick passing and link-up. The fact that he can act as the ball-carrier would fill a massive void in midfield in the event of Eriksen’s potential departure.
Cons
Despite putting in a couple of impressive performances since returning from injury, Lo Celso is still yet to prove himself in the Premier League. He did make a mark in the draw with Sheffield United. But, it won’t be wise to judge the performances of a player, who has mustered only 153 minutes of league football so far.
Moreover, Lo Celso’s hip injury earlier in the season suggests that the midfielder could be an injury-prone individual, which if true would be a massive blow for Spurs.
But, given the way the ex-PSG star has tried to settle into the team, it won’t be a bad idea to secure his services permanently. It would, however, be wiser to put him under the microscope in the coming matches and see whether or not he can continue his impressive run of form not only in the Premier League but also in Europe.
