Tottenham Hotspur winger Lucas Moura has reiterated his desire to re-join former club Sao Paulo while telling Flow Sport Club that he will leave the Premier League giants if they decide not to renew his contract.
As it stands, the ball is very much in Spurs’ court.
There is an extension clause in Lucas’ contract, meaning Tottenham can tie the former Brazil international down for a further 12 months should they so wish. Whether they take up such an option, however, remains to be seen.
A favourite of Jose Mourinho, Lucas has found minutes much harder to come by under Antonio Conte. Since returning from a calf injury in early October, he hasn’t started a single one of the club’s last six Premier League games despite the absence of Dejan Kulusevski for the majority of those fixtures.
“My thought is to finish this season with Tottenham and, free of contract, I will sit down with my family and listen to offers,” explains Lucas, a £23 million signing from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2018.
“Then (I will) analyse everything: the country, the club and the financial side. Now, I’m very calm here. If Tottenham wants to renew (my contract), cool, I like them a lot. I’m settled here.
“If they don’t want to, I’ll leave for free and more offers will appear.”
Will Tottenham Hotspur decide to keep Lucas Moura?
Lucas started his professional career with Sao Paulo over a decade ago. The 30-year-old held talks with the Tricolor on numerous occasions last summer, but a move back to Brazil was never really on the cards as long as he remained under contract in North London.
When his deal expires, potentially as soon as next July, that will be one major obstacle out of the way.
“I’ve always said that I want to go back to Sao Paulo,” adds Lucas, who previously said that a return to the Morumbi was ‘very, very likely’.
“It’s the club I love. But I never set a deadline. I said that I wanted to spend at least 10 years in Europe; playing at a high level, come rain or shine. Now let’s see what happens, what (offers) appear.
“I want to play football and be in a club that allows me to play at a high level. I still have a lot of wood to burn. I’m 30 years old.”
Sao Paulo manager Rogerio Ceni, who lost Marquinhos to Arsenal recently and could also see Luizao join West Ham United, has made no secret of his desire to work with the 35-cap Brazil international at some point in the future. Not that he was getting too carried away, however.
“Gee, I’d like to have Lucas to play in our team,” Ceni beams (UOL). “It would help. But it’s more of a dream, a daydream let’s say, than a reality.”
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