Tottenham Hotspur target Diego Godin has struggled at Inter Milan this season, although legendary midfielder Esteban Cambiasso believes the criticism heading the Uruguayan’s way has been a little over the top, while speaking to AS.
When the Nerazzuri snapped up one of the finest defensive talents of the decade last summer, Antonio Conte’s side must have thought they had hit the jackpot.
After all, this was a player who had etched his name into Atletico Madrid folklore, transforming Diego Simeone’s side from perennial underachievers into a dominant force of European football. Godin even scored the goal which secured the La Liga title at the home of bitter rivals Barcelona no less on that magical May day in 2014.
But it is fair to say one of last summer’s most high-profile moves has backfired.
So much so that Godin already has one foot out of the back door. The Mirror (15 April, age 49) claims that Inter are open to selling the two-time Champions League finalist to Tottenham for a bargain £7 million.
A parting of the ways feels like an inevitability although, as Cambiasso is at pains to point out, Godin alone cannot be blamed for his rather underwhelming displays in black and blue.
“He has the humility to try to do his best with the things Conte asks him to do,” says the Inter hero, who thinks that Conte’s favoured three-man backline was never going to suit an old-school, battle-scarred centre-back.
“Keep in mind that he is not comfortable (in Conte’s system). He has not made any major errors and ends up going unnoticed in all matches. There is no negative data to suggest that he has not adapted (to Italian football).”
It remains to be seen, however, if life at Tottenham would be much easier for Godin.
After all, Mourinho has often favoured a three-man defence himself since taking over at the North London giants in November.
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