Ange Postcoglou move for ex-Celtic favourite Jota ‘absolutely’ on for Tottenham amid call for Daniel Levy backing
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…
The injury crisis at Tottenham has “absolutely” made a move to reunite Ange Postecoglou with his former Celtic winger Jota more likely, says Paul Robinson.
The Portuguese attacker moved to Al-Ittihad in the summer, but he has only made nine appearances and hasn’t played in the Saudi Pro League since 1 September after not being registered, and a January exit could be on the cards [Sky Sports, 7 December].
Postecoglou is currently without James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and Monor Solomon from his attacking options and Sky Sports pundit Robinson is clear that he wants Daniel Levy to back the manager in the upcoming window, having “earned the right” after his start to the season.
Robinson exclusively told Tottenham News that the deal is more likely, saying: “Yeah absolutely I do. I think he’s a player that Postecoglou likes and works very well with.
“Now is the time for the Tottenham board and the ownership to back the manager.
“You can see the bad luck he’s had with injuries and suspensions. [Cristian] Romero, you can see he’s only a couple of days away from another suspension, you know what’s coming.
“So Ange Postecoglou has earned the right to go and bang on [Daniel] Levy’s door and say, ‘Look, this is what I’ve done, and I’ve done it with the resources I was given. I would now like to be backed in January, not asking for two, three, four hundred million. I would like to be backed with the players that I would like to bring in’.
“He has earned the right to be backed, and that’s the situation that I’d like to see at Tottenham.
“Listen, the squad is not threadbare, but it’s not his squad. They’re not strong enough in every single position for the way he wants to play. They’re not his players.
“But he’s earned the right to bring in his players and be allowed that opportunity, not just in January but in the summer as well.
“It’s up to the club now to back him.”
Jota contributed 11 goals and 11 assists in the SPFL last season under Postecoglou as the Australian’s Celtic side captured a domestic treble, so it is clear why he might like to bring him to the Premier League.
The bizarre situation that has left the 24-year-old a spare part in the Middle East so soon after making a £25million move in the summer [Sky Sports] could be Tottenham’s gain if he is available on loan, for free, or even for a fraction of that price.
Postecoglou has had pretty miserable luck with his squad this season as injuries and suspensions have piled up but this could be a positive boost that he is in prime position to take advantage of in the winter window.
In other Tottenham news, a major Spurs disappointment caused the team problems for no reason to leave Gary Neville baffled.