Opinion: Antonio Conte would have absolutely loved £26m player Nuno sold at Tottenham

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Erik Lamela joined Tottenham Hotspur for what was at the time a sizeable fee of £26 million (BBC) all the way back in the summer of 2013. And while the Argentine didn’t quite live up to the hype, he could never be faulted for his effort in a Spurs shirt.

Lamela always gave 100% whenever he was picked to start at Tottenham, and grew a popularity among fans for his nasty streak.

It’s that work-rate and commitment that may have made him a perfect player for Antonio Conte’s new-look Spurs side.

Lamela left the club shortly after former boss Nuno Espirito Santo joined as he departed for Sevilla last summer in a deal that saw Bryan Gil move the other way, with Spurs paying an undisclosed fee (BBC).

And with the Italian being seemingly unconvinced by Gil so far, he may have had a differing opinion on the former Spurs man. The Argentine’s numbers were underwhelming during his time in North London as he only managed 37 goals and 47 assists in 257 appearances for the club.

He was also plagued by recurring injuries during his time at the club which prevented him from gaining any real rhythm throughout the years. But he was a player that former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino loved to use and symbolised his aggressive style of football during his time under his compatriot.

It’s this aggression and willingness that Conte would have loved in Lamela. Every time the winger pulled on the Lilywhite shirt, he gave his all and many Spurs supporters adored him for it, even if he frustrated others at the same time.

Former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho labelled Lamela ‘amazing’ for playing through an injury in a 2-1 loss against Chelsea back in February 2020. And you’d imagine that Conte would love a player who shows this type of commitment for his team.

Conte has spoken openly about his desire to increase Tottenham’s physicality, and is known to value players with a burning desire to win.

Lamela has enjoyed a relatively decent stint in La Liga, registering five goals and three assists in 24 appearances last season. But once again his progress was hampered by a shoulder injury during the campaign.

Yet, if you put his niggling injuries aside, Conte would have loved having a player like Lamela in his squad.

Although he’d have most likely been used as a utility player due to Spurs’ quality upfront, he’d have always been able to count on the Argentine to put in a shift. He could have been a reliable option for the Italian when it came to seeing out big games.