Player Watch Player Watch: Giovani Lo Celso

TH1239 said:

The idea of not signing Lo Celso permanently simply makes no sense in the club's current situation. Here are the reasons why:

#1: The club has already paid a 13 million pound loan fee for him. That money is gone, and cannot be clawed back. To not take up an option to sign him permanently for only a further 27 million pounds, in a market where continental players of his profile go for far more, and where players who have proven little to nothing at the club or international level go for the same or more, too, would be a horrific business decision. Even if Lo Celso is a spectacular failure (he won't be), you would almost certainly still be able to sell him back to a host of suitors in Spain or Italy by the time he's 25 and recoup the 27 million option fee you paid.

#2: With Eriksen's impending departure and Lamela's injury history, you simply cannot afford to let another talented attacking midfielder just leave the club. For those of you who say it's worth considering passing on signing him permanently so other areas of the squad can be patched up (with just 27 million pounds?), what is your plan for the attacking third? Just have Son/Dele/Moura play every single game? Make Sissoko/Winks/Sessegnon our primary rotation pieces for attacking midfield? Does anyone think we can achieve 90-points in the league and push for cup trophies with that kind of attacking line-up through an entire season? What happens if Dele, who has a history of muscle injuries, gets hurt? Too many people are caught up in the now, but Dele's current form cannot be relied upon as a sure thing over the course of the next 18-months. You still need a player like Eriksen (leaving), who can play passes against tight defenses in the final third and with ball-striking ability, to help you win matches against sides that sit back.

#3: Players of Lo Celso's profile and work product tend to become fixtures at the top end of European football. Look back at the last 15 years of attacking players from Argentina who have broken through and become mainstays of the national team *and* have proven themselves in multiple seasons in one of Europe's top 5 leagues. Lo Celso had a good season at one of the world's best clubs in PSG, was one of the best players in La Liga last season in arguably the best club league in the world, and he tends to be first choice in attack for Argentina. All of this by the age of 23. How many players fitting that profile have gone on to be spectacular flops in Europe? I know the players who had somewhat similar profiles by that age who have succeeded or are succeeding: Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria, Dybala, Messi, Tevez, Lautaro Martinez. Maybe you can use Di Maria's one poor year at United as a counter-example or cite a stagnating player like Pererya as a template for what Lo Celso will be (though Pereya never had anywhere near as good a season at Juventus or Udinese as Lo Celso had at Betis). But I like my chances that a player with Lo Celso's history and skill set will become an impact player at a club like Spurs.

#4: What will 27 million pounds you save by passing on Lo Celso buy you in the current market? A totally unproven player like Sander Berge will cost you 30 million pounds, most likely. Players with more upside like Zakaria, Sangare, Soumare will cost you 50+ million pounds and none of them have really proven themselves against elite competition. If someone thinks passing on Lo Celso will allow the club to spend 80+ million pounds on surefire improvement to the first XI like Ndidi, then okay, you might have a point, but I'm willing to guess that isn't going to be the case. Also, as mentioned previously, you still need an Eriksen replacement if you let Lo Celso walk, which you aren't going to get for anything less than 50 million pounds, anyhow.

Given all of the above, and the fact that Mourinho himself has already ruled out signing someone he rates in a similar bracket to Lo Celso (but more expensive) in Bruno Fernandes (due to financial restrictions), it's highly likely that Levy will opt to sign Lo Celso in the winter. Mourinho will probably back the decision, as he'll be cognizant that Spurs aren't like Chelsea and United, where he could jettison players (or attempt to) like De Bruyne, Salah, Mata, Martial, knowing that he'd have money to sign the exact replacements he wants.

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TH1239 said:

The idea of not signing Lo Celso permanently simply makes no sense in the club's current situation. Here are the reasons why:

#1: The club has already paid a 13 million pound loan fee for him. That money is gone, and cannot be clawed back. To not take up an option to sign him permanently for only a further 27 million pounds, in a market where continental players of his profile go for far more, and where players who have proven little to nothing at the club or international level go for the same or more, too, would be a horrific business decision. Even if Lo Celso is a spectacular failure (he won't be), you would almost certainly still be able to sell him back to a host of suitors in Spain or Italy by the time he's 25 and recoup the 27 million option fee you paid.

#2: With Eriksen's impending departure and Lamela's injury history, you simply cannot afford to let another talented attacking midfielder just leave the club. For those of you who say it's worth considering passing on signing him permanently so other areas of the squad can be patched up (with just 27 million pounds?), what is your plan for the attacking third? Just have Son/Dele/Moura play every single game? Make Sissoko/Winks/Sessegnon our primary rotation pieces for attacking midfield? Does anyone think we can achieve 90-points in the league and push for cup trophies with that kind of attacking line-up through an entire season? What happens if Dele, who has a history of muscle injuries, gets hurt? Too many people are caught up in the now, but Dele's current form cannot be relied upon as a sure thing over the course of the next 18-months. You still need a player like Eriksen (leaving), who can play passes against tight defenses in the final third and with ball-striking ability, to help you win matches against sides that sit back.

#3: Players of Lo Celso's profile and work product tend to become fixtures at the top end of European football. Look back at the last 15 years of attacking players from Argentina who have broken through and become mainstays of the national team *and* have proven themselves in multiple seasons in one of Europe's top 5 leagues. Lo Celso had a good season at one of the world's best clubs in PSG, was one of the best players in La Liga last season in arguably the best club league in the world, and he tends to be first choice in attack for Argentina. All of this by the age of 23. How many players fitting that profile have gone on to be spectacular flops in Europe? I know the players who had somewhat similar profiles by that age who have succeeded or are succeeding: Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria, Dybala, Messi, Tevez, Lautaro Martinez. Maybe you can use Di Maria's one poor year at United as a counter-example or cite a stagnating player like Pererya as a template for what Lo Celso will be (though Pereya never had anywhere near as good a season at Juventus or Udinese as Lo Celso had at Betis). But I like my chances that a player with Lo Celso's history and skill set will become an impact player at a club like Spurs.

#4: What will 27 million pounds you save by passing on Lo Celso buy you in the current market? A totally unproven player like Sander Berge will cost you 30 million pounds, most likely. Players with more upside like Zakaria, Sangare, Soumare will cost you 50+ million pounds and none of them have really proven themselves against elite competition. If someone thinks passing on Lo Celso will allow the club to spend 80+ million pounds on surefire improvement to the first XI like Ndidi, then okay, you might have a point, but I'm willing to guess that isn't going to be the case. Also, as mentioned previously, you still need an Eriksen replacement if you let Lo Celso walk, which you aren't going to get for anything less than 50 million pounds, anyhow.

Given all of the above, and the fact that Mourinho himself has already ruled out signing someone he rates in a similar bracket to Lo Celso (but more expensive) in Bruno Fernandes (due to financial restrictions), it's highly likely that Levy will opt to sign Lo Celso in the winter. Mourinho will probably back the decision, as he'll be cognizant that Spurs aren't like Chelsea and United, where he could jettison players (or attempt to) like De Bruyne, Salah, Mata, Martial, knowing that he'd have money to sign the exact replacements he wants.

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dtxspurs said:

Really, really frustrating at this point. Really thought the last 25 min would have been perfect as there was tons of space but Dele looked exhausted.

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thebenjamin said:

I want to see GLC more than anyone, but can't have a problem with Sessegnon and Troy getting some minutes.

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Seafordian Spurs said:

Jose has said he will rotate for Bayern. Surely means Dele and Kane won't travel.

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thebenjamin said:

I want to see GLC more than anyone, but can't have a problem with Sessegnon and Troy getting some minutes.

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dtxspurs said:

I'd prefer if we could figure out a way to use our big new signings in games that have at least some significance. But hey maybe thats too much to ask.

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