Marcel Lavinier could finally break through to the first team under Antonio Conte for the second half of the season. The Spurs failed to find Antonio Conte a new right wing-back in January. However, Lavinier could be a ready-made solution already at the club.
As per The Times, the Italian head coach is keen to bolster the right flank. He does not believe that Emerson Royal, who was signed from Barcelona in the summer, fits the profile. Similarly, Matt Doherty was made available for a transfer but evidently, no departure materialised.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers powerhouse Adama Traore emerged as a key target. However, it’s thought that the Spaniard rejected the opportunity and decided to rejoin Barcelona instead.
Tariq Lamptey of Brighton and Hove Albion was also considered in the winter transfer window. However, he was seen as too expensive to even bother pursuing.
However, with Marcel Lavinier as a new option, Conte finally has a profile he needs in the final third. With big doubts over his only two senior options at right wing-back, Conte could promote the wing-back. The 21-year-old continues to make his mark in the youth team.
The youngster was part of Spurs’ 25-man squad for the UEFA Europa Conference League. He offers rapid acceleration and pace that’ll undoubtedly cause trouble in the final third. Moreover, he also helped defensively by tracking back.
Marcel Lavinier promotion vertict
As claimed by Daily Mail:
‘Lavinier loves to get forward and is very direct – often looking up and aiming to ping balls into the area, but he’s an equally competent defender,
His confidence is boosted by how comfortable he is on the ball – he’s a decent finisher for a defender and has considerable technique, making him a great option as an attacking full-back.’
Lavinier started his youth career at Chelsea. The 21-year-old left Chelsea for Hotspur. However, it was surprising that the Champions of Europe didn’t stand in his way. He has contributed three goals and eight assists across the U18 and U21 squads.
The right wing-back also has 16 minutes of first-team action. He made his debut under Jose Mourinho last season. So his first-team experience would help him to battle with Emerson and Doherty for that starting XI spot.
Under the right coaching, Lavinier could really blossom into the attacking wing-back that Conte wants at Spurs. There will not be a better manager to make this happen. So the Italian should turn to the young U21 speed demon in the coming times.
