Why Tottenham should reignite their interest in Luiz Felipe
Back in April, the Daily Mail reported that Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur were interested in Lazio defender Luiz Felipe.
However, a deal never materialized and the 22-year-old decided to stay put at the Stadio Olimpico. His impressive displays at such a young age for Lazio last season had caught the eye of Spurs, who had the Brazilian on their radar.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are in need of defender with the contracts of senior players such as Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen set to expire in the summer.
Having said that, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham should once again reignite their interests in the young centre-back, who has risen up the ranks at Lazio.
Felipe joined Lazio from Ituano as a teenager and has since proven to be a big hit. After joining Lazio, the Brazilian was soon sent on a season-long loan to Salernitana in order for him to get more game time. Despite being so young, he flourished at the Serie B side.
He returned to Lazio the very next season and has since then gone on to play 69 matches across all competitions for the Italian side. Having grown in stature over time, Felipe has now emerged into one of Lazio’s best young stars.
He made 18 league appearances and played 10 Europa League matches in his debut season for the le Aquile, indicating his worth within the squad. The same year, he played a crucial role in helping Lazio reach the Europa League quarterfinals.
A string of injuries last season restricted him to the benches, however, he was still a vital presence at the back for Lazio whenever called into the side.
Meanwhile, this season has been good so far for Felipe, with the youngster featuring in 12 of their 15 league matches and helping them to third place in the table. Having honed his skills at Salernitana as a right-back, the technically-gifted Felipe is comfortable playing anywhere in the defence.
Tottenham should take this into notice and soon plan a move for the versatile defender, with old guards Alderweireld and Vertonghen’s future still hanging in the balance. Apart from the two Belgians, Tottenham have centre-backs’ Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth in their ranks.
Despite being overlooked by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, Sanchez has found solace under new boss Mourinho, who has given the Colombian defensive responsibilities alongside Alderweireld.
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A veteran of many campaigns, Vertonghen has shown signs of ageing and is way past his prime. Foyth, on the other hand, is still young and needs to get more game time.
Verdict
Having conceded 23 goals from 16 matches already, Tottenham would be doing themselves a favour by signing Felipe, who has kept 5 clean sheets in his 12 appearances for Lazio.
Moreover, the young defender could be a future investment by Tottenham, given Alderweireld and Vertonghen’s uncertain future at the club.
