Transfer Centre

Villarreal 'agree deal for Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani Lo Celso'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 01 August 2022

Villarreal 'agree deal for Giovani Lo Celso'

Villarreal reportedly agree a deal to sign Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani Lo Celso on loan with an obligation to buy for €15m (£12.6m).

Villarreal have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham Hotspur on loan with an obligation to buy.

After falling out of favour at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under Antonio Conte, Lo Celso spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at La Ceramica.

During his time under Unai Emery's tutelage, Lo Celso helped the Yellow Submarine reach the semi-finals of the Champions League as a regular fixture of the first XI.

The Argentina international registered one goal and one assist from 21 games in all competitions during his time in Spain but has since returned to Hotspur Way for pre-season.

However, Lo Celso was one of four players left out of Conte's squad for their summer trip to South Korea, and the 26-year-old is not in the Italian's plans for the 2022-23 campaign.

Giovani Lo Celso in action for Tottenham Hotspur in September 2021 © Reuters

As a result, Spurs are actively working to offload Lo Celso before the transfer window slams shut, but he has a contract with the Lilywhites until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Emery is thought to be keen to bring the former Real Betis man back to La Ceramica, but Villarreal have so far struggled to come to an agreement with Conte's side over a fee.

Now, Todofichajes claims that an agreement is now in place which would see Lo Celso rejoin Villarreal on loan with an obligation to buy for €15m (£12.6m) in 2023.

The report adds that the La Liga side could wrap up a deal for the midfielder as early as this week, which would mark the end of his Tottenham spell after a three-year spell.

Lo Celso signed for the North London club on loan in 2019 before making his stay permanent for £28.8m in 2020, and he has since registered eight goals and six assists in 84 appearances for the Lilywhites.

Giovani Lo Celso celebrates scoring for Spurs in December 2020 © Reuters

The Argentine started just two matches for Tottenham in the Premier League last term, although he was bedevilled by a knee injury during the Christmas period.

Conte has already allowed Steven Bergwijn, Jack Clarke and Cameron Carter-Vickers to complete permanent transfers elsewhere this summer, and more are expected to follow.

The likes of Bryan Gil, Emerson Royal, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks are all being tipped to leave, but none of the quintet is thought to be in concrete talks over moves elsewhere.

Two defenders in Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga are closing in on moves abroad for the 2022-23 season, with the former set to complete a loan switch to Rennes this week.

Meanwhile, Tanganga is understood to be in discussions with Serie A champions AC Milan, where he could form an all-English centre-back pairing with Fikayo Tomori.