Tottenham should not sign Atletico Madrid midfielder on loan

The latest from @IndyFootball suggests that Tottenham have been offered the opportunity to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Lemar on loan with an option to buy. 

Lemar has been in the news lately, being linked with Arsenal and Tottenham. But he has perennially disappointed since joining Atletico in 2017, with Diego Simeone indifferent about the prospect of Lemar leaving. He has scored just three goals in 64 appearances with Atletico.

It’s going to cost Spurs £5 million to sign Atletico’s outcast on loan. And the option to buy would run the would-be suitor north of £50 million. The prospective loan represents the lowest possible risk for Spurs, who could opt out of a potential buy clause. It’s the only feasible way Tottenham will bring Lemar to north London.

"Simeone says Lemar has “failed to live up to expectations.”"

Simeone never minces his words and is right on the money with his assertion of the Frenchman’s time at Atletico thus far.

The 24-year-old is also injury prone. Of particular concern is the inordinate amount he has suffered from a muscle injury. Lemar has been out of the lineup three times in the last calendar year with muscle injuries, a foreboding, deterring statistic for any potential buyer. As I write this, Lemar is currently reeling on the sideline with yet another hamstring issue.

He was purchased from Monaco in 2017 for £52.7 million. His stock has since decreased. While his incredible skill set is unquestionable, do Spurs really want to risk buying a player who’s trending downward? A new lease on life will be good for the skilled midfielder, but Tottenham don’t need another injury prone player who is not living up to expectations.

I guess £5 million is a low risk move, but if I were Daniel Levy, which I’m clearly not, I’d refrain from being tempted by the frenzied hype for someone who hasn’t proven he’s worth the large sums of money being discussed.

Let Arsenal have this one.