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News
Top-flight Director of Football wants Tottenham star, previously signed him for £15m
that he is looking to bring Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Erik Lamela back to Italy, with Sabatini the man to initially lure Lamela to Italian football from River Plate.
Lamela, 29, surpassed 250 games for Tottenham earlier this month in all competitions, but is set to enter the last 12 months of his contract at Spurs this summer. Given his age, and that he has only scored four goals this season, a new deal might be unlikely.
Back in 2011, a teenage Lamela left his home country and River Plate to join Roma for £15million () – and it was Sabatini, then Roma’s transfer chief that orchestrated a move. Now, Sabatini wants his fellow countryman again, having sold him to Spurs.
Sabatini was quoted by as saying that he is looking into the possibility of bringing Lamela back to Italy with Bologna, who currently sit in 11th place in Serie A. Fabrizio Romano, though, responded by stating Lamela is happy at Tottenham.
“Lamela is one of the names we are considering. Let me explain: we are trying to understand if there are the possibilities to bring him to Bologna. Nothing has been agreed,” , before Romano Tweeted his reaction:
Walter Sabatini, Bologna director [he signed Lamela for Roma from River in 2011]: “Erik Lamela is a potential target. We’re trying to see if there are chances to sign Lamela from Spurs… and it’s not sure. We’ll see”, said to Resto del Carlino.
Lamela is now happy at .
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)
TBR’s view – Lamela needs regular game time
The double hip injury limited Lamela and has seen what should have been well over 300 appearances for Tottenham, only just surpass 250. Right now at Spurs, he is getting the odd start and being used as a substitute – but he needs to be a regular.
As he gets older and enters his thirties, injuries will start to rack up and that stop-start game time will only contribute. He needs to leave Spurs and join a side where he will start most matches and certainly at Bologna, he would.
Spurs are likely to accept a decent offer for Lamela this summer given it is the final opportunity they can charge a fee – if they choose not to extend his contract. he earns £75,000 a week, can they afford that? Time will tell.
