Erik Lamela’s return will feel like a new signing for Tottenham

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You would be forgiven as a Tottenham Hotspur fan for forgetting the North Londoners harbour another attacking midfielder aside from the likes of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Son Heung-min within their ranks.

This 25-year-old is one who can provide a spark at any given moment, albeit those have not been frequent enough since his arrival at White Hart Lane in 2013.

However, the Argentine is a creator whose availability when others are floundering would be something of a welcome addition, especially with the Premier League, Champions League and upcoming FA Cup commitments undoubtedly set to take their toll on the Lilywhites’ squad at the back end of the campaign.

Of course, the midfielder being described is Erik Lamela, or as Spurs supporters now know him, Erik Lamela (hip).

The £27 million signing from Roma four years ago has yet to really prove his worth in a Tottenham shirt during his time in North London, especially considering he has not been seen in one since October last year.

However, with his return imminent after rejoining training in recent months, the 23-times capped Argentina international could well come back a rejuvenated outlet and prove to be the final piece in Mauricio Pochettino’s puzzle.

It has been some time since Lamela (hip) has been able to influence any on-field proceedings for Spurs, especially whilst his fellow countryman has been able to mastermind their current consistency, fluidity and clinicalness of recent times.

However, the Tottenham attacker will soon get that chance, and it could almost feel like unveiling a new signing for the temporary Wembley Stadium faithful.

The Buenos Aires-born playmaker would not be expected to come back into the fold after completing his rehabilitation process straight away, with the midfield already packed with some of Spurs’ best talent.

However, when comparing those who currently occupy the middle of the park, wide and attacking spots against Lamela, the 25-year-old is not a million miles away.

In fact, against both Alli and Eriksen the tricky creator holds a more accurate crossing record, has provided more assists than his English team-mate in a similar amount of games and offers much more of a defensive influence than either of the other Tottenham pairing.

Lamela played an important role for the club in the 2015-16 season and looked to just be showcasing his considerable influence when injury struck.

All in all, when Pochettino is finally able to call upon his long-time coming returnee after his so far 58-game absence, Tottenham may well be presented with the key for future success.