Tottenham made transfer 'mistake' on two counts in the summer window


Tottenham made transfer 'mistake' on two counts in the summer window

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Tottenham may have “signed a dud” in Giovani Lo Celso and will rue their failure to pin down Christian Eriksen on a long-term contract, according to former Premier League striker Noel


Whelan. Spurs captured Lo Celso on deadline day after a summer-long chase, paying an initial £15million for the loan with an option to buy at the end of the season. The midfielder impressed


at Real Betis last season, scoring 16 goals and laying on six assists in La Liga, but has only played 44 minutes for his new club. The 23-year-old’s difficult start to Premier League was


made worse this week when it was confirmed a hip injury picked up on international duty will sideline him for six weeks. Lo Celso’s loan deal could be seen as an audition to be Eriksen’s


successor, who has been the creative heartbeat of the team for six years but looks destined to leave for free next summer after turning down improved deals from the club. And Whelan, who was


playing for Leeds and Coventry during the newfound freedom of the Bosman ruling, believes Spurs have slipped up. “Have Spurs signed a dud? That’s the question,” the former striker told


Football Insider. “One thing for sure, I very much doubt [Lo Celso] will have the same impact at the club as Christian Eriksen. “What everyone is thinking is: ‘Can he replace Eriksen, is he


good enough?’ “We won’t know for a while, but it seems he’s been brought in as Eriksen’s long-term replacement, as it’s inevitable he’s leaving. “Tottenham have made a big mistake not tying


Eriksen down years ago to a big long-term deal, like they did with Harry Kane. “You have to keep hold of players like them. They’re irreplaceable.” Pochettino initially raised worries about


Lo Celso a few weeks ago, saying: “I think Lo Celso is a situation that is not going to be easy. “He was in extended holidays after the Copa America, he didn’t have a proper pre-season and


didn’t train too much, then signed for us after a week without training. “He’s training well but is still so far away from what we expect from him. We need to give him time.”