Tottenham dodged the signing of Cheikh Diop last summer.
If Tottenham Hotspur were worried their decision to snub signing Cheikh Diop would come back to haunt them, so far they can rest easy.
SkySports reported in August that they were in talks with Celta Vigo to sign the midfielder, but later backed out due to the confidence they had in their own options.
Diop went on to sign for Lyon for £9.3 million, and given the French side’s reputation for developing talent, there was a strong chance the midfielder would make Tottenham regret their decision.
So far it looks like anything but.
Diop has just played 61 minutes this season in a cup game, and not at all in Ligue 1.
He began the season with an injury but he has been fit since late last year, and just has not been able to force his way into the team.
Lyon recruitment chief Florian Maurice told France Football earlier this month: “There are a lot of people in this area of play. It’s a young player who has signed five years. We must prepare him and not rush him.”
Tottenham have one of the best midfields in England and possibly Europe, and clearly Diop would have had his work cut out to establish himself.
His underwhelming start at Lyon suggests he would have been a dud at Spurs, and the North London club were smart to realise this and cut their losses before they invested.
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