Premier League: What skill sets does Lucas Moura bring to Tottenham Hotspurs?

LUCAS MOURA has signed a four year, £25m contract with Tottenham Hotspur and has joined from Paris St-Germain on the final day of the January transfer window. Spurs have jumped on an opportunity to pick a top player at a good price as PSG reel with FFP issues after signing Neymar and Mbappe for a whopping 400M Euros. Lucas had scored 18 goals for PSG last season. There was a drastic fall in his playing time since the arrival of his Brazilian Compatriot Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe.  Lucas is a multi-talented player and will add several dimensions to Tottenham’s style of play.

TFG has listed out 3 most important aspects of his Playing style and how will Spurs’ benefit from him. So Here’s what the Spurs’ fans can expect from Lucas:

Pace: 

Spurs have been playing Quick attacking Football under Mauricio Pochettino and that was pretty evident in the 11 Sec Goal against Manchester United.  Players like Son Heung-Min, Dele Ali and Christian Eriksen have played a major role in this, and that’s what Lucas also brings to this Tottenham side. Lucas is extremely fast and good with the ball at his feet. Like every Brazilian he is an excellent dribbler, but also possesses the physicality which is required in the Premier League. 

Spurs move forward with pace when they can. A player like Lucas who has speed and an ability to beat players on the dribble gives Spurs a different dimension and Mauricio a greater flexibility in tactics.

Player Rotation :

One of the things we’ve learned from this Premier League season is that due to various injuries once a team gets too far beyond your first choice XI, the talent begins to drop off pretty sharply. In the Case of Tottenham, it is more of an issue with players like Christian Eriksen, Dele Ali and Harry Kane. The inexperienced wide attackers struggled to put together cohesive attacks without someone to link play.

Lucas is a good passer and is capable of playing anywhere upfront. Pochettino has even quietly hinted that he could play up top. He’s a workhorse who will give everything on the pitch when he plays. He alongside Lamela, Son, Dele Alli, Eriksen and Kane gives Pochettino more and better options in rotation during a busy part of the season.

Lucas is not cup tied and can come in and immediately help in both the FA Cup and the Champions League. It gives more options to Pochettino.

Playmaking & Finishing ability

Lucas scored 18 goals in all competitions for PSG last season. He doesn’t attempt a lot of shots, but he boasts of a high conversion rate. Putting him alongside scorers like Son, Dele, and Harry Kane could mean that he could fly under the radar a bit, finding holes in the opposition’s defense and adding his flair in the final third.

Author’s Take:

It looks as if Lucas’s  big-money move to PSG from Sao Paolo took a toll on him, but when you come into a team with the weight of expectations the way he did, it’s sometimes difficult to live up to it. There’s no shame in losing your place to Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, two of the best young players in the game. Lucas is a player who is good at a lot of different things, even if he might not be world class in any one thing. Coming to Tottenham Hotspur is an opportunity for Lucas to stretch a bit and re-establish his career without as much pressure as in Paris. 

Now that he’s here, he has the opportunity to get his career back on track under a manager with a proven track record of developing players. He certainly seems to have skills that Spurs can use to reignite their Premier League campaign.