Report: Tottenham now want loanee to have surgery on his injury which would keep him out of the World Cup

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Tottenham loanee Giovani Lo Celso could need surgery on a leg injury which would keep him out of the World Cup.

TyC Sports report that the midfielder, who is spending the season out on loan at Villarreal, is facing a race against time to be ready for Qatar.

Spurs want him to have surgery on an injury which is now looking worse than first feared, and of course they would not be impacted by the extended unavailability.

But Lo Celso wants to give himself as much chance as possible of being fit, and prefers the prospect of rehabilitation.

Lo Celso may need surgery

The report says that even that would not guarantee his World Cup spot, because he would still be unavailable for Argentina’s opening matches.

This is a real dilemma which has been exacerbated by the decision to move the World Cup to the winter, with so little time between the end of league football and the start of the tournament in Qatar.

The rehabilitation suggestion is something of a last hope, and it may yet be the case that Lo Celso does undergo surgery as Tottenham would like.

Lo Celso tore up the Champions League last season and Spurs fans could be faced with the prospect of looking on as he does similar at the World Cup.

The physical nature of English football did not suit him, but he can play at a slower tempo and shine in a more technical setting.

But the immediate priority is getting this fitness decision correct, getting the balance between his desire to play at the World Cup and his long-term prospects.