Tottenham news: Lamela ready to provide Spurs transfer assist
Erik Lamela is ready to help Tottenham in the transfer market
It’s been over a year since Tottenham received any contributions from Erik Lamela on the pitch. Curiously, his next big boost to the club may occur in the transfer market. His friendship with Manuel Lanzini may pave the way for the Argentine midfielders to play together at Spurs.
West Ham fans have been sent into a panic courtesy of a rash of reports linking Lanzini with a move to their London rivals. The Hammers are hoping to see a performance boost under the guise of David Moyes, but it doesn’t seem that Lanzini wants to be a part of what could be a lengthy rebuild.
It’s easy to see why he might be interested in making the move to Spurs. Tottenham are clearly a club on the rise under Mauricio Pochettino. The terrific gaffer also happens to be an Argentine himself. The opportunity to play for a more successful Premier League squad under a countryman might be too much for Lanzini to turn down.
The presence of his “good friend” Lamela in the squad could also be huge. The two attackers played together at River Plate and established a solid friendship. It’s very possible that Lamela could be in Lanzini and Pochettino’s respective ears about engineering a January transfer.
More from Tottenham Hotspur
- Bayern Munich reach agreement for Harry Kane
- Antonio Conte goes scorched earth on Tottenham
- Clement Lenglet set to join Tottenham on loan
- Tottenham set to sign Brazilian Richarlison
- Tottenham Hotspur hold off Arsenal for Champions League spot
Of course, West Ham would still need to sanction a deal. If Moyes regards Lanzini as a clear piece of his project at the club it’s going to be difficult for Spurs to swing a deal. The last thing Hammer supporters want to see at the moment is high-profile talent being sold to Tottenham.
Still, Lanzini does have some leverage he can apply. His contract with West Ham is ticking down and he could threaten them with the possibility of leaving for free. If he asserts that kind of power, the West Ham board could be convinced to accept a significant transfer offer from Spurs.
There is a valid question of where Lanzini might play if he made the move to North London. Spurs seem set in terms of their attacking midfield with Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in the starting XI. Unfortunately, Pochettino’s options behind that duo are pretty slim. Son Heung-Min has provided the club some bright spots, but he isn’t consistent enough to really engender trust from Pochettino.
Ironically, if Lanzini does come to join Lamela, he may force his countryman out of significant playing time. If Lamela ever does return to full fitness, he’ll be scratching and clawing to find a place in Pochettino’s matchday 18. The arrival of Lanzini could knock him one spot further down the Spurs pecking order.
Next: Lanzini would be perfect for Tottenham
A January deal sending a player to Tottenham from West Ham may seem unlikely, but you can’t underestimate the Argentine connection here. The presence of Lamela at Spurs could help thaw relations between the two London rivals enough to get a deal done.