Alejo Veliz has 11 games remaining to try and finish his 2024/25 campaign on a positive note. Joining Spanish side Espanyol on a season-long loan deal back in August, Veliz's return to La Liga just hasn't quite worked out for him.
After such a frustrating time at Sevilla in the second half of last season with only six outings coming his way, a switch to Espanyol appeared to be the perfect move in his quest to gain some more first-team experience. The 21-year-old has featured a lot more regularly than at Sevilla but it is pretty much an even split between starts and substitute appearances.
Veliz has started 12 games in all competitions for the Spanish club and come on as a substitute on 11 occasions. In Espanyol's last three league fixtures, the frontman has been reduced to only a single minute of football after finding himself an unused substitute on two occasions.
In such a big year in his young career with limited football coming his way the previous term, his loan switch has not worked out at all. That can be seen from the fact that he has only played the full 90 minutes twice in La Liga since joining Espanyol.
Veliz does have four goals to his name but three of those did come against San Tirso, who play at level six in the Spanish football pyramid, in the Copa del Rey back in October. After securing promotion back to La Liga last season, Periquitos are in danger of an immediate return to the Segunda Division as they are one point clear of the relegation zone as things stand right now.
Espanyol are going to need a hero in the run-in, with Veliz hopefully the player to score the goals required to help them achieve La Liga safety come the end of May. Once his time at RCDE Stadium does come to an end, the youngster will return to Tottenham and a decision will have to be made over what comes next.
Since he was brought to Spurs as a £13million investment for Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, Veliz has been limited to eight games for the north London club. Even last summer upon his return from Sevilla and with limited options up front due to Richarlison's injury and Dominic Solanke not having signed yet, the Argentine only featured in two of the team's six pre-season games.
Veliz was part of the Tottenham squad for the tour of Japan and South Korea but he did not play in any of their three games. Instead, Dejan Kulusevski was used through the middle as a striker and then Will Lankshear was utilised from the bench.
Veliz did appear to drop behind Lankshear and Dane Scarlett in the pecking order and that may well remain the case ahead of next season. Mathys Tel will be another striker option for Spurs if he joins on a permanent contract and you cannot rule out the club possibly looking at another addition in that area of the pitch amid Richarlison's struggles to stay fit.
One way or another Spurs are going to have a decision to make over Veliz as they plan for the future. It probably is now or never this summer when it comes to his Tottenham career.
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