Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli has labelled Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League benchwarmer Bryan Gil an ‘outstanding player’ amid reports linking the Spain international with a return to La Liga, speaking on Twitch.
Nearly 12 months ago, Gil joined Valencia on loan after struggling to force his way into Antonio Conte’s first-team plans in North London. One year on, little has changed.
Gil is still a back-up; restricted almost entirely to cameo appearances off the bench. And La Liga clubs are once again queuing up to sign the spindly 21-year-old on a short-term deal.
Sevilla are reportedly among them.
Sampaoli was at the helm of the Andalusian outfit when Gil was rising through the ranks a few years ago. And, with the Argentine now returning for a second spell at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuain, it’s likely that Gil would be welcomed back with open arms.
Bryan Gil could leave Tottenham Hotspur and return to La Liga with Sevilla
“In 2017, Bryan Gil was with us (training with the first-team). Bryan arrived and he was very young. He ended up being an outstanding player. I loved him,” says Sampaoli, who tried and failed to reunite with the one-time Elche talisman in France’s Ligue 1.
“I wanted to take him to Olympique de Marseille.”
Gil, nicknamed the ‘Beatle of Barbate’ due to his Lennon-esque haircut, has played just six times under Conte this season. And just six minutes in the Premier League.
It remains to be seen whether Gil will ‘Get Back’ to Seville in January, with Sampaoli telling sporting director Monchi; ‘Don’t Let Me Down’.
Conte, meanwhile, is urging Gil to add a dash of physicality to his finesse, highlighting the stylistic similarities between him and one of Manchester City’s Premier League champions.
“If I have to compare Gil with someone, maybe Bernardo Silva at City,” Conte tells Football London.
“For me, in this moment, physically he is not strong. But we are talking about this type of player. I have seen good improvement.”
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