Erik Lamela could finally leave Tottenham Hotspur for Inter Milan this summer.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela reacts
Much like Tottenham Hotspur’s once seemingly perpetual pursuit of Leandro Damiao, Erik Lamela is subject of a transfer cycle which is stuck on continuous repeat.
Every year since his 2013 move to Spurs from Roma, Lamela has been linked with an exit to Inter Milan.
– 2014: Inter Milan expressed interest in signing the Argentine via their club president, The Mail reported.
– 2015: Inter Milan plotted to take Lamela on loan for the season [Mail].
– 2016: Inter Milan linked with offering two players as part of a player plus cash swap deal for Lamela [The Sun].
And now 2017… Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport report Inter have made Lamela a top target for the summer.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela in action
It’s groundhog day, and easy to dismiss, but there is reason to believe this is actually the year Inter Milan get their man.
Lamela has not featured for Tottenham since October, with his injury return date regularly being pushed back. The paper report he now is unlikely to play again this season.
The winger has been in Italy for the past few months, and fans are growing worried about his desire to push on and re-establish himself at the club.
In four years, Lamela has offered just one good season, last time out, with his first and most recent both wrecked by injury. It is easy to see how Spurs could now decide simply to cut their losses and get a big fee for him while demand is high.
Inter are also in a stronger financial position than they have been at any point in the past few years, thanks to being taken over by Chinese investment group Suning International.
This helped them clinch deals for Geoffrey Kondogbia and Gabriel Barbosa last summer, and they have recently been linked with a big money move for Federico Bernardeschi.
Lamela needs a big season next year wherever he is to earn a World Cup 2018 place, but it is looking more likely than at any point before, that he lands his big move back to Italy this summer.
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