Transfer News: Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso departs for Villareal on loan
As per the club’s official website, Tottenham Hotspur star Giovani Lo Celso has joined Spanish side Villarreal on loan for the remainder of the season, securing a move on the final day of the January transfer deadline.
Lo Celso has struggled to break into Antonio Conte‘s preferred starting XI this season, resulting in less game time for the player and a lack of opportunity to show what he is capable of. The Italian manager does not seem to have the midfielder in his plans for the rest of the campaign.
The Argentina international has now moved to Villareal on loan till the summer, heading back to La Liga where he made his name and caught Spurs’ attention before his subsequent move to north London.
Despite being a regular for his national side, Lo Celso has not seen the same treatment while at Spurs, with Conte coming in mid-season and apparently deciding that the Tottenham star is better off gaining gametime elsewhere for the time being.
La Liga return
According to football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lo Celso was set to move to Lyon on loan during the final day of the January transfer window. However, Villareal manager Unai Emery turned out to be a key factor for the midfielder to turn down a move to France and join the Yellow Submarines instead.
The Argentine moved to Tottenham from Real Betis in 2019. Thus far, the midfielder has been in and out of the side playing under different managers, making 84 appearances and scoring eight goals.
Consistency was always an issue for Lo Celso, and a big reason for this was the star’s injury record while at the club. This season too, the Argentine was out for a lengthy period of time due to an injury he suffered while on national duty, which hampered his chances of impressing Conte and working his way into the side.
This has culminated in a move to La Liga side Villareal, where the player will look to work on his displays on the pitch and catch the Spurs manager’s eye. Emery, who was the Arsenal manager before heading out to Spain, could hand regular playing time to the Argentine midfielder.
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Lo Celso’s relationship with Conte seemed to be rocky at times during the season, with the midfielder taking to social media to declare himself fit for games after Conte dropped him from the squad for the important derby against Chelsea earlier this month. Whether this accelerated the 25-year-old’s temporary departure from the club is anyone’s guess.
Hopefully, Lo Celso returns from Spain a more complete player who can challenge for a regular starting spot at N17. As for the ex-Betis man, he would be hoping his Spurs jersey has a UEFA Champions League badge on the sleeves once his loan spell at Estadio de la Cerámica concludes.
