Valencia coach Jose Bordalas has admitted it will be ‘difficult’ to sign Bryan Gil on a permanent basis from Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to El Desmarque.
Just 12 months ago, the so-called ‘Beatle of Barbate’ was being compared to Neymar, labelled ‘Spain’s best footballer’ on the back of some mesmerising performances on loan for relegation-threatened Eibar.
But, after mustering just 86 minutes across nine league appearances for Spurs, Gil returned to La Liga with a point to prove in January. It’s fair to say he’s making up for lost time.
The spindly winger is making a real impact on the Castellon coast, his jinking stride, cultured left foot and mop of dark blown locks drawing somewhat inevitable comparisons with a young Lionel Messi.
Alongside fellow loanee Hugo Duro, Gil has been a bright spark in a difficult start to the calendar year for Valencia.
Getafe-owned Duro, scorer of eight goals in 29 games, is almost certain to sign permanently in the summer, due to the presence of a ‘purchase clause’ in his Valencia contract. But, as Bordalas himself admits, tying down Gil for the long haul won’t be quite so straightforward.
Does Bryan Gil have a future at Tottenham?
“If they continue the performances they have had so far, being young, they can still grow much more,” Bordalas says of Duro and Gil. “They would be welcome to stay with us.
“They are two players who are giving us a lot. Perhaps there will be more difficulty with Bryan because there is no purchase option. With Hugo, there is.”
Spain international Gil, who admits struggling with the physicality of English football and his lack of regular opportunities under Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, is under contract at Tottenham until 2026.
It would certainly feel like a strange decision if Spurs were willing to cash in on a player so young and talented before he’s even had the chance to adapt to life in the Premier League. Especially as Tottenham are not exactly brimming with creativity in the final third.
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