Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura will not represent their countries at the World Cup – but their Tottenham prospects could yet improve regardless.
Tottenham Hotspur pair Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela have both missed the opportunity to represent their respective countries at this summer’s World Cup – but their club careers should stand to benefit in the long-run.
Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli announced his 35-man preliminary squad for Russia 2018 on Tuesday morning with the former AS Roma forward one notable omission.
Meanwhile, Moura’s wait to represent Brazil at a World Cup continues after he was left out of Tite’s 23-man squad – among a list of absentees that also includes Chelsea defender David Luiz and reported Manchester United target Alex Sandro.
Neither decision will come as too much as a surprise. Lamela, who returned after a length injury lay-off last October, managed just seven starting appearances in the 2017-18 Premier League campaign. Moura, a January arrival from Paris Saint-Germain, was named in the starting XI on just five occasions in all competitions.
Pochettino noted as recently as March that his mid-season arrival was still adjusting to life at the north London club, stressing the winger’s off-the-ball work needed improvement before he could be considered for a regular role in the first-team.
While Moura will have preferred to have travelled to Russia with his countrymen with hopes of erasing the memories of the catastrophic conclusion to their 2014 campaign, a summer back in north London bodes well for his chances of getting himself to where Pochettino wants him to be.
For Lamela; his motivation is simple; make up for the lost time that has seen him downgraded to a bit-part player in north London.
Moura and Lamela could very well find themselves in direct competition for a squad role next season; a full pre-season campaign free from injury and international commitments could ensure there is room for both of them.
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