According to Calciomercato (h/t TEAMtalk), Juventus are interested in Giovani Lo Celso. New manager Andrea Pirlo is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season and has Lo Celso on his list of potential targets. Whether we’d sell the 24-year-old less than one year after signing him for €30m remains to be seen, however.
Is there a chance we’d let him go?
Not this summer. We only signed him permanently in January, so it wouldn’t make sense to cash in so soon. Lo Celso got off to a slow start at Tottenham after joining on loan from Real Betis last summer, amassing only 268 minutes of Premier League football before the turn of the year, so he didn’t make much of an impact before turning his loan move permanent in 2020.
The Argentine international went on to made 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals with three assists. As per WhoScored, Lo Celso made two assists, created 29 chances, completed 85% of his 965 passes, won 8/30 aerial duels, whipped in 57 with 21% finding a teammate, made 32/51 successful dribbles, blocked 22 passes/crosses/shots, made 17 clearances and averaged a tackle (51) or interception (9) every 25 minutes.
Lo Celso ended the season as a regular under Jose Mourinho, so his stock is higher now than it was in the first few months of his debut campaign. Jose said publicly that he wouldn’t swap the 24-year-old for any player, so there’s no chance of him being sold this summer.
Is Lo Celso happy at Tottenham?
The majority of his performances would suggest he is. The Argentine has been playing his best football in the second half of the season and called Mourinho and his coaching staff “top class” in July’s Guardian interview.
At the end of 2019, Lo Celso was rumoured to want out of Tottenham and he wouldn’t have been happy starting only one of 10 league games when Mourinho was appointed, but things have changed now.
He’s been one our best players in 2020 and is likely to play a key role in midfield next season. There’s no reason for us to sell Lo Celso and there’s no official bid from Juve to respond to.