Last time I wrote about Erik Lamela, Spurs fans didn’t take to it particularly well. The general consensus is that we need to wait until he’s had more game time before passing judgement.
It’s worth noting that he’s made 17 appearances and during that time, has shown very little promise. I appreciate that players need time to adjust at a new club, but I think it’s fair to say that Lamela’s slow start grants cause for worry.
He was drafted in to help lessen the blow of losing Gareth Bale, but hasn’t really been involved in that process. His injury hasn’t helped, but his performances prior to that didn’t exactly have fans salivating at the mouth, did they? It’s only natural to show signs of concern. This is a young lad with a £30m price-tag.
Of course, I have my finger’s crossed that he’ll ‘come good’. He’s only 21-years-old and has many more years left to prove himself at the top level. But I’m also pragmatic enough to appreciate that if he’s not a good fit for the club, there’s no point having him hang around like a bad smell.
As such, I was interested to see The Mirror report that Erik Lamela could be used as part of a swap deal with AC Milan’s Mario Balotelli. Yes, you heard me right, the same Balotelli that kicked up a storm at the Etihad some years back before fleeing to Serie A.
On the face of things, this is a bizarre rumour. Can you really picture Balotelli in a Spurs shirt? Still, if Spurs want to progress as a club, they will need to find some way of attracting genuinely world class talent like this, rather than promising young kids who may, or may not make it.
Besides, Milan currently lie in 9th place in the Serie A table. This makes me wonder: could he be ready to jump ship?
He’s still proven to be effective, even as Milan have struggled. Since moving to the club last year, Balotelli has scored 26 goals in 41 games – a fine return.
There’s another concern of course: will Tim Sherwood be able to handle a character like Balotelli? The Italian can be difficult to deal with at the best of times and playing for a side with limited title-winning chances may bring out the worst in him.
Here it’s worth remembering what a good job Sherwood has done with Emmanuel Adebayor. Perhaps he can do the same with this hotshot Italian.
I’d certainly love to see him try. If it means losing Lamela, then so be it.
