Giovani Lo Celso given 'new lease of life' at Tottenham

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·4 December 2023

Giovani Lo Celso given 'new lease of life' at Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has been given a chance to impress Ange Postecoglou over the last few weeks, and journalist Paul Brown has given his verdict to GIVEMESPORT on what the future could hold for him in terms of selection, comparing him to Tanguy Ndombele.

With James Maddison out injured until potentially the new year, Postecoglou had to find a creative and goalscoring solution in his midfield. The former Leicester City man enjoyed a sensational start to the campaign before picking up an injury, so finding an adequate replacement within the squad was always going to be a difficult task.

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However, Lo Celso has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks after previously being linked with a departure from Hotspur Way, and the Argentina international has even spent time away from the club out on loan. There won't be many who argue that Maddison is the superior player, but Lo Celso is currently proving that he can play in a similar role to the England international.

Lo Celso was close to leaving in the summer

With Spurs bringing in Maddison in the summer transfer window and Lo Celso spending last season on loan at Villarreal, it looked as though his future at the club was in doubt. Italian journalist Rudy Galetti revealed to GIVEMESPORT back in August that Lo Celso wasn't going to have a 'central role' at Spurs and he suggested that he could have left before the deadline, with Barcelona showing an interest.

TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook also told GIVEMESPORT at the time that Aston Villa could make a move for Lo Celso, with Unai Emery knowing the Argentine from his time in La Liga. It certainly wasn't a surprise that Spurs were potentially considering offloading Lo Celso after he wasn't in their plans in the previous year, when he spent the season on loan.

Lo Celso then had the chance to impress Postecoglou during pre-season after a move away from the club failed to materialise. Although he wasn't given a host of opportunities in the opening weeks of the campaign, Lo Celso remained patient waiting for his chance. Maddison suffering an injury opened the door for the 27-year-old to provide Spurs with a creative and goalscoring option from midfield.

According to the Evening Standard, Barcelona remain interested in securing the signature of Lo Celso, but after a few impressive performances under Postecoglou, particularly against Aston Villa, Spurs may have changed their mind about the midfielder.

Paul Brown verdict

Brown has suggested that Lo Celso has been given a new lease of life by Postecoglou over the last few weeks. The journalist adds that he was brought to the club at a similar time to Ndombele, claiming that Lo Celso has always been the better player. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said...

"I've always liked Lo Celso and he seems to have been given a new lease of life by Ange Postecoglou. He knows he's not a first choice but he knows exactly what his role is now and he's going to play in that role every time he gets into the team. I think he's needed that kind of clarity for a while. He came in at a similar time to in Tanguy Ndombele, if I remember right, and I can remember a lot of people raving about how great Ndombele was. And as a result, I think Lo Celso went a little bit under the radar, but I've always felt he was the better player."

Lo Celso won't get displaced in the Tottenham side

After finding the back of the net against Emery's Villa, Lo Celso also scored a vital goal against Manchester City at the weekend. With Maddison out injured, Postecoglou doesn't have a host of options who can play in a similar role. After his recent performances, it could be difficult for the Australian manager to justify taking Lo Celso out of the team.

It could be a different story when Maddison returns, but Lo Celso is currently providing in the final third whilst also contributing defensively, so he has quickly become a key player in the middle of the park for Tottenham.