Ex-Spurs Player Struggling to Find Form in Greece

While Tottenham Hotspur may not have been the most successful team in recent years, they have had their fair share of exceptionally talented footballers. Harry Kane was undoubtedly the Premier League’s top striker before his move to Bayern Munich, forming a formidable partnership with Son Heung-min.

However, before Kane and Son rose to stardom, another Spurs attacker was highly coveted in the football world: Gareth Bale. The Welsh star’s incredible performances for Tottenham led to a world record £85 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2013.

Spurs used that windfall to bring in seven new players, including one who was supposedly more skillful than Bale. Unfortunately, that player is now struggling to make an impact in the Greek Super League.

Tottenham’s “Magnificent Seven” Transfer Spree

The seven players signed with the Bale money had mixed success at Spurs. Christian Eriksen was undoubtedly the most successful, making over 300 appearances and contributing significantly before departing for Inter Milan in 2020.

However, the focus of this article is on Erik Lamela, who joined Tottenham for £25.8 million in August 2013. While not as impactful as Eriksen, Lamela outlasted the other five signings from that summer, making 257 appearances for the club before joining Sevilla in 2021.

During his time at Spurs, Lamela scored 37 goals and provided 44 assists. He showed flashes of brilliance, including a Puskas Award-winning goal in the North London Derby. However, he never quite lived up to the lofty expectations set for him when he first arrived.

Lamela’s Struggles in Greece

After three average seasons with Sevilla, Lamela joined Greek side AEK Athens. His performances there have been disappointing so far. In 13 appearances across all competitions, the former Spurs star has failed to score and has only provided three assists.

This lackluster output is far below what one would expect from a player of Lamela’s caliber and reputation. It seems that the expectations which weighed heavily on him at Tottenham are now affecting him in Greece as well.

While Lamela was a decent servant to Tottenham over the years, he ultimately could not live up to the immense hype surrounding his arrival. Now at 32 years old, it appears he is struggling to make his mark in a less competitive league, highlighting how far he has fallen from those early comparisons to Gareth Bale.