Has Tottenham Hotspur Changed Their Mind About Letting Giovani Lo Celso Go?
Tottenham Hotspur may be reconsidering their stance on accepting offers for midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer, which could come as a surprise to many.
The Argentina international rejoined the North London club for pre-season after an 18-month loan spell with Villarreal, during which he contributed to their journey to the Champions League semi-finals in the 2021-22 season.
Despite being linked with a permanent departure from Tottenham in 2023, Lo Celso was given the opportunity to showcase his abilities under Ange Postecoglou and remained with the team.
A similar situation occurred during the January transfer window, with Lo Celso still struggling to establish himself at Tottenham. Rumors emerged of interest from Barcelona for a mid-season transfer, reportedly spurred on by former Barcelona player Lionel Messi’s endorsement of his compatriot to his former club. However, Spurs were not inclined to part ways with a key midfielder during the middle of the season, and the transfer window closed with Lo Celso remaining in London.
Tottenham Hotspur are contemplating a contract extension for Giovani Lo Celso, despite his limited playing time this season. The 28-year-old has made only 19 appearances across all competitions, contributing two goals and two assists, with just four starts in the Premier League.
With other midfield options like James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pape Sarr being preferred, Lo Celso has been widely tipped to depart this summer as he enters the final year of his current contract with Spurs.
Although there were expectations of multiple offers for the former Real Betis player, reports suggest that Tottenham is now considering offering him a new contract. According to AS via football.london, Spurs are contemplating a two-year extension until the conclusion of the 2026-27 season, potentially accompanied by an increased salary to persuade him to stay.
However, it remains uncertain whether Lo Celso would accept such terms, given the likelihood of interest from other clubs and the prospect of more regular playing time elsewhere. The decision to extend Lo Celso’s contract poses a question for Tottenham: Is it the right move?
News of Spurs supposedly considering a new deal for Lo Celso – let alone one with a pay hike – has come as something of a shock, especially considering his peripheral standing in Postecoglou’s team.
The Argentina international did briefly manage to prove his worth to his manager over the winter, netting in back-to-back matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City before supplying two assists against Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve.
Hamstring and muscular injuries have since plagued Lo Celso, though, and he is still waiting for his first Premier League start of 2024, earning a total of just 55 minutes off the bench in the current calendar year.
Furthermore, Postecoglou could also try out Dejan Kulusevski in a central experiment, further limiting Lo Celso’s opportunities for starts in an advanced role, which he is far more suited to than a deeper midfield position.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp‘s possible exits would leave Spurs with a big decision to make regarding Lo Celso, but the Lilywhites should recoup a nominal fee this summer and invest their monies into bringing in a new face into their engine room, potentially a Conor Gallagher or James Garner.
