Lamela: I don’t know why people said I may leave

Mark Holmes
Erik Lamela: Never considered transfer away from Tottenham

Erik Lamela: Never considered transfer away from Tottenham

Erik Lamela insists it has never crossed his mind to leave Tottenham despite regular suggestions in recent years that he would move on.

Lamela has at times found it tough at White Hart Lane since his move from Roma in August 2013, but the Argentine has flourished under Mauricio Pochettino this season and scored a hat-trick in Spurs’ 4-1 win over Monaco in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Even when things were not going so well, Lamela did not contemplate a transfer.

“It seems that every summer I have been here there have been suggestions I might be leaving. I don’t know why that came about but no way was I leaving,” he said.

“It has never been my intention to do that.”

Lamela is grateful for the role Pochettino has played in him establishing himself in the Spurs team – and now the 23-year-old is hoping to help the north Londoners secure a Champions League place.

“The manager has helped me a lot,” Lamela said. “One of the reasons is that the training sessions are really tough. The coaches really push us and you can see the benefits.

“As an individual I have personal ambitions – scoring goals, giving as many assists as I can but also working hard for the team and doing a job in defence as well. My ­ambitions are for the team and what we can achieve as a whole.

“A dream season? We can’t start using phrases like that because there is still half the season to go.

“If at the end of the season we can look back and see Spurs in the top four, that would be a great personal achievement and it would prove that the team has done a great job as well.”