Tottenham Retaining Erik Lamela Will Benefit Both Club and Player

Erik Lamela continues to divide opinion at Tottenham. 

His first season produced little tangible output, and then-manager Andre Villas-Boas' inconsistent approach to his record signing didn't help matters. 

AVB, cautious as ever, initially brought Lamela into the team as a substitute. After his first goal, against Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League, AVB dropped him for the next match. 

To make matters worse, Lamela was later thrown to the wolves of the Etihad, pushed into the starting lineup against the rampant Manchester City. Predictably, Spurs were thrashed, 6-0, and Lamela's fragile confidence took another battering. 

Lamela's debut campaign ended with a devastating back injury. 

His second season saw plenty of encouraging moments. 

He made eight assists and scored six goals. Among those were headline-grabbing strikes against Burnley and Asteras Tripolis.  Despite improving, it is fair to say that Lamela is yet to live up his eye-watering price tag of £30 million.

For that reason, and the fact that Spurs must sell in order to fund Mauricio Pochettino's transfer targets, there have been rumours that Lamela could depart in the summer. 

Italian news outlet Calciomercato (via Metro) is one of several outlets to report Juventus' interest in Lamela. 

If Juve were to offer a significant fee, Spurs would have to consider it, but they must resist. Lamela remains just 23, and his talent is evident in even his least impressive appearances.  Spurs have other saleable assets whose departure would make less of an impact.

Lamela was a hugely hyped young talent in his native Argentina. His moves to Roma and then Spurs garnered significant coverage, as have his subsequent struggles. 

His inclusion in their squad for the Copa America underlines that they remain confident that he is among their best options. 

In fact, Lamela is also among Spurs' most important attacking players as the team evolves under Pochettino. As their young team grows and comes to dominate possession more regularly, Lamela's influence will grow. 

He lacks the explosive pace of Aaron Lennon or Gareth Bale, but he is more effective in tight areas and more of a creative force than either of his predecessors on Spurs' flank. 

When teams adopt a defensive approach, they compress and reduce space. This takes away the effectiveness of pure pace and places more emphasis on vision and decision-making. 

In those areas, Lamela has proven himself highly effective. 

His continued presence in the squad is vital because it gives them a different option. The athleticism and creativity he possesses will be crucial to Spurs breaking into the top four next season. 

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For Lamela himself, departure from Spurs could only be seen as a failure. 

The prospect of a return to Italy and, even more, a move to the nearly European champions would obviously be enticing, but it would not eradicate disappointment of his spell in England. 

Nor indeed would he necessarily be a regular starter for Massimo Allegri's side. 

Instead, if he persists in north London and continues to work at his game, he is in the perfect position to flourish.

Pochettino has shown that he is effective at improving players and helping them grow into their talent. Lamela, having somewhat lost his way, needs time to return to the brilliant best he showed at Roma.

In his best season in Serie A, Lamela scored 15 goals, and he grew in notoriety around Europe as a star on the rise.  He was a key component in one of the most effective attacking sides in Europe.

That can be his role for Spurs too.

He isn't required to carry the side's attack. Harry Kane plays that role. Instead, he needs to match Nacer Chadli's growth as a goalscorer and leave his mark on games more often. 

Pochettino and Lamela can help each other reach their goals next season. Neither would be so effective in isolation. Together, they will help Spurs continue to rise.