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Ange Postecoglou has promised Giovani Lo Celso there will be opportunities for him to turn around his Tottenham career over the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
Spurs are without at least nine first-teamers for the visit of Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Yves Bissouma (suspended) and James Maddison (ankle) will definitely miss out and the prolonged absence of the latter has resulted in calls for Lo Celso to be given a first league start for Spurs since 2021.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cz8ov_TtAqP<\/p>\n
Signed four years ago towards the end of Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s tenure, the Argentina international worked with current Villa boss Unai Emery at Villarreal last season, but could get the chance to haunt his old manager this weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI looked at Gio really well before I got here, both here at Tottenham and his spells at other clubs,\u201d Postecoglou said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see he has certain qualities. He\u2019s had a disruptive season for us. He\u2019s had a few injuries, he hasn\u2019t really had a clean run at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of a number of players that has happened to, but you can see technically, he\u2019s a very creative player, he works hard for the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll get an opportunity over the next few weeks to hopefully come in and make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Lo Celso has struggled to make his mark in England, the 27-year-old remains a key figure for his country and started Argentina\u2019s 1-0 win in Brazil on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
But Postecoglou admitted: \u201cI don\u2019t think his national-team form is a direct correlation to here. Just like anyone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cGio will get an opportunity, particularly over the next few weeks because we are down on numbers and have a fair few games between now and the new year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they\u2019re here, they\u2019ll get an opportunity. That\u2019s all you can offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lo Celso was heavily linked with a move away in the summer, but Postecoglou made clear from the outset his desire to keep him at Spurs.<\/p>\n
Barcelona remain interested in the midfielder and while Tottenham\u2019s injury list makes departures unlikely in January, the Australian conceded now is his chance to cast an eye over the squad.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou added: \u201cFrom my perspective, this is the time when I am getting an opportunity to make all these assessments because if you lump it all into one and look at previous exposure here at the club, that\u2019s not really relevant to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s what I see from now on and how the players feel themselves about playing the football that I want and whether they see themselves fitting into that.<\/p>\n
I haven’t come across him, but I have been a great admirer of his coaching<\/p>\n
\u201cIt hasn\u2019t happened by design but I am certainly going to get a good look at everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Postecoglou heaped praise on opposite number Emery for turning Villa into top-four contenders inside 12 months.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t come across him, but I have been a great admirer of his coaching,\u201d Postecoglou revealed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe came over here and the experience (with Arsenal) didn\u2019t deter him in any way. He didn\u2019t lose any belief in who he is as a manager.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has turned Villa around very, very quickly and you have got to remember what position they were in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have looked at his teams and they have always been very well organised and structured, with a clear identity.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he has transferred that across three different countries. He is a quality manager.\u201d<\/p>\n