Erik Lamela: The Gem Inside Serie A

           At 12 years old, a young Argentinian kid had the chance to move to one of Europe’s finest, Barcelona. After making a live stream of choosing River Plate, now his former club, over Barcelona, the young child already showed huge signs of loyalty. This player currently wears the orange colors of Rome’s more decorated team, Roma. With the player being heavily linked with a team that will be looking to challenge for the title in the Premier League, Tottenham, he will prove a loss for both Roma and the Serie A.

Taking back to the years of young Erik’s youth career, he showed what kind of players River produced . At a young age, he showed great signs of a ferocious and wild left foot, much like Messi did. To add to that, one of the things he is shares with the Argentina captain is his ability to slot the ball into the low post. Showing all those skills during his youth, he was praised for his famous chip in goal, which ultimately would lead him into promotion to the senior side of River. Once into the promotion of the young prodigy, he played a sole season at River’s senior side, making 34 appearances and scoring six goals.That season in particular, River were relegated for the first time in the clubs history.
After River Plate intended to slash the clubs wage bill and earn the money that the TV rights had in Argentina’s top division, they decided to cash in on two of the clubs brightest prospects, Erik Lamela and Lucas Ocampos to Roma and nouve rich, AS Monaco respectively. While Lamela’s departure brought more money than Ocampos, the clubs fans protested against the clubs president, Daniel Passarella after selling Lamela, who had become a club favorite in just one season.

At the premature age of 19, he completed his move to Italy’s capital, Rome. He would go on and have a below par debut season, because of Luis Enrique’s different style of play. However, when Roma appointed Zdenek Zeman in this past season, he played his best season in his short career, scoring 15 goals in 33 appearances, one short of Roma’s goal scorer of the season, Pablo Osvaldo. In Lamela’s best season, his best performances came during the first half of the season, particularly during October and early November, scoring 7 goals in 6 appearances. Without Lamela, Roma will have it hard to find or replace a player like him, but with securing the talented and unknown Gianluca Caprari during the first weeks of July, they already have a player to either replace Lamela or alternate him if the Argentinian decides to stay.

Should Lamela move to Spurs, he could be a worthy addition to André Villa Boas side. Whether Bale will move to Real Madrid, the two players in the same team could prove to be a deadly counter-attack for their opposition. Even if the unlikely Bale to Real Madrid move happens, he too can be the replacement of the Welsh player. With Villa Boas wanting to make Spurs a team that challenges for the title, the signing of Lamela could be the final intention and signing of Daniel Levy and Villa Boas that they can surely challenge and surpass some teams that have finished in the top four.

One of the major things that Lamela is missing is international experience, both for his club and country. However, the Argentinian player has been unlucky for international experience, as Roma are a project that has just begun, and surely will get to play next season, whether its for Spurs or Roma. Next is the problem with the national team. Alejandro Sabella is a coach, who honestly, has had his eyes on a more local team. If Lamela gets more activity with Argentina, he will surely gain the needed experience and will up his game.

With Tottenham heavily linked to the former River Plate player, it will surely be another loss for Italy’s top league, Serie A, but a gain to whichever club he goes to, and any league he features. For a young player who took a jump of faith into unknown waters, he has reaped success for himself and has been ringing his name to Europe’s biggest clubs, Real Madrid, Manchester United and finally, Tottenham Hotspur.