Ledley King has insisted that Giovani Lo Celso is capable of forcing himself into Antonio Conte’s plans when he returns to Tottenham this summer.
After struggling to get much game time at Spurs this season, Lo Celso has rediscovered his mojo since his loan move to Villarreal in January.
Reports indicate that Unai Emery’s side wish to extend the Argentine’s stay beyond the end of this season and it has also been suggested that Spurs could use the midfielder as a makeweight in a deal to sign Pau Torres from the La Liga club (Football Insider).
Estadio Deportivo reported earlier this month that while Conte believes Lo Celso has a lot of talent, he does not think the Argentine is suited to the intensity and physicality of the Premier League.
King believes the former Real Betis man is capable of changing the Italian’s mind but he admitted Lo Celso has his work cut out to do so.
The legendary Spurs defender told Bookmakers.com (as relayed by Football.London): “There is no reason why Giovani Lo Celso can’t come right back into the club. I’ve seen him up close during my term there.
“I know he can probably operate in one of the positions further up the pitch and he can play in the centre of midfield.
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“He’s a good versatile player, but again he falls into the category of having to come back to force his way into the manager’s plans if he wants to stay at the football club.”
King also raved about the talent of Tanguy Ndombele, who is out on loan at Lyon, and admitted that the Frenchman’s unwillingness to make the most of his ability is quite frustrating.
He added: “Tanguy Ndombele is a talented player, but don’t forget about Oliver Skipp. Skipp is a perfect example of a player who has the right attitude and while Ndombele is talented as I’ve said, he hasn’t had the same kind of fire in his belly as Skipp.
“For Ndombele, like a few others, it’s a big summer. I don’t know what he wants to do.
“There is no doubt that there is a really good player in there, he is someone who could be a big asset to the football club if he decides to knuckle down and push to be involved in the team.”
“I’d like to see him give more, push more at times. It has been frustrating because we know the talent’s in there. At times, it seems like he needs to be someone who’s happy in his surroundings and motivated to play football.
“I know he lost two of his good friends at the time, that shouldn’t be an issue. He’s a bit of an enigma. In terms of talent, he’s right up there and we could do with him playing.
“When he plays at his best, he’s an asset to the football club, but he hasn’t been doing that on a consistent basis so it’s frustrating.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I believe neither Ndombele nor Lo Celso have futures at Spurs under Conte. The club loaned both players out in January in order to put them in the shop window and I expect both players to leave in the summer.
However, Tottenham might have trouble finding a permanent buyer for Ndombele and might be forced to loan out the Frenchman again.
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