Tottenham made their only major signing of the January transfer window on deadline day as they agreed a £23 million deal to bring in Lucas Moura. The 25-year-old has joined on a five-and-a-half year deal and arrives to much fanfare. The majority of supporters wouldn’t have been expecting any major signings during this window, but the club have chosen to strengthen and the signing of the Brazilian will provide positive momentum for the club. This season has been a frustrating one as he has rarely featured for PSG after the French club signed a number of high-profile players including international team-mate Neymar. The attacker spoke of his excitement after the transfer was announced:
“It’s a new chapter of my life, a new challenge. I will give my best for this club because I think we have a lot of quality and we can win big things. Why not the Champions League?”
“I’m so happy. It’s a big club and I need to enjoy it, work hard and show my quality.”
His comments show the ambition of the player and that is good to hear from a new signing. There was a point in time where Lucas was considered a potentially world-class talent. Although he hasn’t reached that level yet, he is still young and this move could be what he needs to push on for greater things. Mauricio Pochettino has displayed his coaching quality since taking charge in North London, as the majority of players at the club have improved significantly.
Where does he fit in at Tottenham?
It is never a negative to sign a good player, but the arrival of Lucas does raise questions as to where he is going to fit in at the club. Tottenham already have four established attackers that expect to play regularly, while Erik Lamela is slowly stepping up his involvement after a long-term injury lay-off. Lucas is best on the right wing, but he can play anywhere across the forward line. It provides Pochettino with another option and increases competition for places. That can only be considered a positive.
Lucas provides a more dynamic option to the Tottenham squad as he has rapid pace and excellent close ball control when dribbling. His quick feet and ability to beat a defender makes him exciting to watch, which will be something Spurs’ faithful will be looking forward to seeing up close. He can play centrally, but he is more likely to be used as a wide player by Pochettino.
Although he has barely featured for PSG this season, he was an important player during the 2016/17 campaign. In Ligue 1, he contributed 12 goals and five assists. He was involved in a goal every 143.2 minutes. It was somewhat surprising that he has been completely sidelined this season, but Tottenham will benefit from that as he will be eligible for their Champions League campaign having not played in the competition this season.
The main worry for Tottenham will be Lucas’ inconsistency. He has not been able to regularly deliver good performances since moving to Europe, while his end product can be poor at times. Spurs will be hoping that a move to a new country will provide the fresh start that he needs. Serge Aurier’s presence at the club will benefit the new signing as they had a good relationship in France, both on and off the pitch.
Pochettino has shown time and time again that he improves the players that he has available to him and maximises their output. Aurier was considered a risky signing, but he has quickly settled in and it will be expected that Lucas can make a similar transition. Tottenham’s attacking performance against Manchester United showed that they don’t need the Brazilian to come straight into the team and he will be given time to bed in. That should help him to make an impact when required.
Lucas is going to be pushing for regular first-team action. That will be his main aim after joining the club and if he can fulfil his potential, he will be an important player for Tottenham. Pochettino needs to have more depth if his team are to challenge on multiple fronts and for that reason, this is a great addition. His experience will be an asset, while his pace and trickery mean that he brings something different to the table.
