Tottenham’s Moura offsets summer of inactivity
![LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Wembley Stadium on August 18, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Wembley Stadium on August 18, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/cba67cd63f653faf9bcf7dce0eb7ef8e6ada1cc61c6285bc99affa2105822a8c.jpg)
When Tottenham beat Manchester United on Monday it was down to two goals from Lucas Moura who people could very easily have forgotten was a member of the squad at all.
Last January Tottenham pulled off one of the coup’s of the winter window by beating several other Premier League sides to the signing of the Brazilian attacker Lucas Moura. During his time at Paris Saint Germain, the Brazilian was something of a bench warmer and often forgotten as the newly rich Parisian side chased ever more glamorous players. Having come to Europe from Brazil at such a young age it seemed that Moura was in danger of letting his career get away from him.
It’s easy to forget that Moura came to Europe in the same wave as Neymar and was thought of by many in his homeland as a comparable talent. Then while Neymar chose Barcelona and a club who had a legitimate plan for his progression Moura chose the new project that was PSG under their new Qatari ownership. While Neymar fluorished Moura was pushed further down the PSG lineup and eventually out of the team.
Eventually, though he left and signed for Tottenham. It was a phenomenal move but he still rarely played and only made 6 appearances in the Premier League. Perhaps it was the years of rust or Pochettino simply felt it would be hard to integrate a new talent in his attacking system halfway through the season. Nobody really knows the answer.
What we do know is that in three Premier League matches so far this season the Brazilian has scored three goals and been mightily influential. So while the weight of his addition was not felt last season he is almost like a new signing during this one.
Too much has been made of Tottenham’s lack of transfer activity during the summer. Sometimes there’s simply no good deals to be had and to spend would be to waste money. If Moura can recapture some of the moments that many feel were likely to become fleeting dreams at Paris Saint Germain while playing for Tottenham then Spurs will be in a wonderful position this season. Moura will be a brand new signing for the team and an influential and creative force to help take pressure off Eriksen, Alli and Kane. It could be exactly that Tottenham need.