Ange Postecoglou will be delighted that Giovani Lo Celso stayed at Tottenham over the summer, with the 27-year-old having finally started to find his form in north London this season. Lo Celso struggled to endear himself to Antonio Conte during the Italian’s time in charge and spent 18 months on loan at Villarreal before Postecoglou arrived in the summer.
The Spurs playmaker has enjoyed a new lease of life under the guidance of his new manager, scoring twice in his last two games after recovering from a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign. He found the back of the net in Tottenham’s thrilling draw at Manchester City over the weekend and will be hoping to carry his impressive form into the jam-packed festive period.
It seems as though Postecoglou is now being rewarded for his faith in Lo Celso, who came very close to leaving Spurs at the end of the summer transfer window. Barcelona had identified him as a potential target but their approach was swiftly rebuffed, which saw Lo Celso remain at Tottenham.
Postecoglou stepped in to block the proposed move after deciding that Lo Celso still had plenty to offer at Tottenham, according to Sport. His decision appears to be paying dividends, with the midfielder’s latest goal against City serving as a reminder of what he can bring to the table when playing at his best.
Barcelona have been linked with a renewed approach for Lo Celso ahead of the January window, with the Catalan giants still thought to be keen on snapping him up if the opportunity arises. However, it seems likely that it will be another no from Spurs after Postecoglou underlined his desire to keep the player last month.
When asked if he has considered selling Lo Celso in January, Postecoglou said: “No, because this is the opportunity where I’m getting to make those assessments. [What he did previously] isn’t really relevant to me. It’s more about what I see from now on, and how the players feel in terms of fitting in to the football I want.
“I’m going to get a good look at everyone. There’s constant feedback about how we play and where I see the guys fitting in with that. Gio is no different. I don’t think his national team form is a direct correlation to here. Gio will get an opportunity, others will get an opportunity in the next couple of weeks.”
It remains to be seen whether Lo Celso will continue to impress at Tottenham over the next few weeks, with the north Londoners desperately hoping to start winning in the Premier League again. They have not tasted victory since the end of October but will have a golden opportunity to end their barren spell against West Ham on Thursday night.
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