Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has told The Guardian that Erik Lamela is ‘not available’ to play against Brentford.
Lamela wasn’t involved in the 3-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday afternoon; not even on the bench.
The Argentinian was photographed alongside Sergio Reguilon, Giovani Lo Celso and West Ham United’s Manuel Lanzini at a Christmas gathering, flouting lockdown rules.
Lamela has apologised on Twitter, admitting that he feels ashamed for letting people down and deeply regrets his decision.
So what next for Lamela? Well, it seems that he won’t have the chance to atone for his error with a performance against Brentford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Mourinho has simply stated that Lamela is ‘not available’, and it’s not up to him to explain why, just that won’t be involved at all.
“Not available,” said Mourinho. “It’s not for me to tell you. I just tell you that against Brentford he cannot play,” he added.
Reguilon was on the bench against Leeds, so it doesn’t seem that the trio are being forced to self-isolate, and his exclusion may be some kind of punishment.
With just 18 months left on his Spurs deal, Lamela can’t afford to have injuries as well as these moments of indiscipline, as Tottenham may simply look to move him on in the near future.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
