Just over a week into the transfer window and the plans of various clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, are beginning to take shape.
Ever since his introduction into English football a year ago, Ange Postecoglou has appeared to have a clear idea of exactly what he wants in order to turn the Lilywhites into a real force domestically and, ideally, in the Champions League.
Tottenham offering Lo Celso and cash for Ramsey
Missing out on qualifying for the latter would surely have irked the Australian, particularly given that for long periods the North Londoners were comfortably inside the Premier League’s top four.
That will provide motivation for both manager and his players for the forthcoming campaign, and with pre-season having already begun for those players not selected for their countries for various competitions this summer, there’s no time to lose.
There’s also the small matter of player outgoings for two reasons; to give the manager more money to play with during the transfer window, and to rid the squad of what might be considered ‘dead wood.’
According to WhoScored, Giovani Lo Celso only managed 701 minutes under Postecoglou last season, and not once did he manage to complete 90 minutes.
Sky Sports note that the Argentinian is being offered to Aston Villa – who got into the UCL at Spurs’ expense – as a makeweight in Tottenham’s attempts to land highly-rated Jacob Ramsey.
Lo Celso is well known to Villa manager, Unai Emery, of course having played for him at Villarreal and Paris Saint-Germain, though the outlet suggest the Villains aren’t keen to part with their midfielder at this point.
Regardless of whether Spurs can eventually construct a deal that satisfies both Villa and Ramsey himself, it would seem that Lo Celso’s career in North London is over.