Antonio Conte has hailed the impact Giovani Lo Celso has had during his loan spell at Villarreal but did not indicate whether he would return to Tottenham next season.
Lo Celso joined the LaLiga side until the end of the campaign in the January transfer window and has been a hit under the guidance of former Arsenal manager Unai Emery.
The 25-year-old played a vital role in inspiring the Yellow Submarine to a surprise 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final this week.
Villarreal’s loan for Lo Celso should see him return to Spurs upon its conclusion in June, although transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims the Spanish club is ‘more than happy’ with him and intend to open talks about keeping him next season.
Conte was quizzed on whether he sees the midfielder as part of his plans for the next campaign and, while praising the loanee’s progress, his answer was ominous in reiterating the intensity of the Premier League.
He said (via PA Sport’s Jonathan Veal): “He’s showing he’s a good player but I never said he’s not a good player. This league is a very difficult league and it’s important to play with great intensity and strength.”
I asked Conte about Lo Celso and whether he could come back next season: "He's showing he's a good player but I never said he's not a good player. This league is a very difficult league and it's important to play with great intensity and strength." #THFC
— Jonathan Veal (@jonathandveal83) April 7, 2022
Spurs Web Opinion
Lo Celso’s form has been good for Villarreal so it wouldn’t be surprising if they entered negotiations to extend his stay. But Conte is right in saying that both leagues are very different in terms of physicality. Lo Celso may well be better off in LaLiga, and his performances over the years have shown that.