Lucas Moura ‘has the will’ to re-join Sao Paulo but his £90,000-a-week wages at Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur means a reunion in Brazil will have to wait, club chief Muricy Ramalho tells the ‘De Pai para Filho’ podcast.
This is not the first time the prospect of Lucas returning to where it all began has been brought up in recent weeks. And probably not the last either. After all, the long-serving winger has certainly done his bit to fan the flames.
When asked about a potential move back to Sao Paulo’s Morumbi stadium, Lucas suggested that it is ‘very, very likely’ he will be pulling on the Tricolor again at some point in the near future.
The former PSG ace is due to become a free-agent in 2023, though Tottenham also have the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months.
So have no choice but Sao Paulo to wait. Exactly how long, however, is another matter.
Tottenham’s Lucas Moura is destined for Sao Paulo return
“He has the will (to come back). But, until then, it’s hard, right? He has a contract and earns very well,” says Ramalho, who works as a sports coordinator at one of South America’s biggest clubs.
“The doors are open for him. In addition to being a great player, he is very fond of the club.”
Lucas, who won the 2012 Copa Sudamerica with Sao Paulo, was spotted visitng the Morumbi stadium in June. Much to the delight of a feverish home crowd.
“He was very well received. He went to Cotia (Sao Paulo’s iconic academy) and gave a lecture to the boys,” Ramalho adds.
“But we have to be realistic. We cannot to pay what he earns there (at Tottenham). He would have to give up a lot to come here. We don’t hide this from anyone. Otherwise, we would be fooling the fans.”
As things stand, it seems unlikely Spurs will be rushing to trigger the extension clause in Lucas’ contract. He drifted out of the first-team picture under Antonio Conte and now faces even more competition in the shape of Richarlison and Ivan Perisic.
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