It is going to be odd going back to the Premier League season after this long break because it already feels like the summer transfer window.
In the absence of any live football to report on, actually a welcome respite for this blog based on Tottenham’s pre-lockdown performances, the speculation about incomings and outgoings has gone into overdrive.
Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, the closest to a Spurs specialist they have to pedal money for SkyBet, has predicted which players will stay and go.
And Lyall reckons that, after seven seasons of injury frustration and hibernating his right foot, Erik Lamela’s time at Spurs could finally be up.
Michel Vorm, Jan Vertonghen, Kyle Walker-Peters Danny Rose and Juan Foyth were also tipped to leave but Lamela’s exit would arguably be the most surprising of all of those, as he has featured for Jose Mourinho when fit and still has two years left on his contract.
I don’t always agree with Lyall. He once sent me a bitchy email for writing, on another platform six years ago, that Lewis Holtby and Etienne Capoue had no future at Tottenham. Within 12 months they had both left the club.
But I’m with him on Lamela. I wanted the Argentine to succeed so badly but seven years of false dawns have eroded any patience or will I had for him.
MORE: Bad Dose Of Deja Vu? – Lamela Has Form For Hibernating In Winter
Right wing is probably the one area of the attack we can currently afford to upgrade and any money from Lamela’s sale could go into that pot.
You can’t fault his desire and heart for the cause. If only Eriksen behaved like Erik on the pitch. Unfortunately, he flattered to deceive. He was never on the pitch long enough to make a jump to the next level. His DNA had huge amounts of poppadums in it.
Time’s up for Erik, can’t depend on him, but which club in their right mind would pay good money for a crocked player?