Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that new signing Lucas Moura is “in contention” to make his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s North London derby.
The Brazilian forward arrived from Paris Saint-Germain last month in a deal worth a reported £25m, with Pochettino looking to bolster his squad options.
The player has been yet to feature for the club, having had to watch Spurs defeat both Manchester United and Newport County from the stands and secure a draw away at Liverpool last Sunday.
“In contention”
With Tottenham fighting on three fronts this season, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, Lucas could prove to be a vital asset for Pochettino.
Upon arrival, there were a few concerns over the player’s level of fitness given he had made just five appearances all season for PSG.
However, after working hard in training the player looks set to make his first appearance for the club, likely off the bench, against Arsenal.
Pochettino said:
“I think he will be ready to be in contention. He’s doing well, training so hard.
He’s starting to feel his legs. We need to assess him tomorrow after the last training session but I hope’s he’s doing well and we can put him in contention.”
Full interview here…
🗣 @LucasMoura7 in contention for Tottenham debut against Arsenal, says Mauricio Pochettino,
Full Press Conference: https://t.co/nEEuNyC6v9 #THFC #Tottenham #Spurs #COYS #Pochettino pic.twitter.com/wkkPGTtdXD
— Hotspur TV (@HotspurTV) 8 февруари 2018 г.
Alderweireld’s race to recovery
Meanwhile, on Toby Alderweireld’s potential involvement on Saturday, Pochettino said:
“No decision. Still no decision.”
The Belgian completed the full 90 minutes against Newport in the FA Cup on Wednesday, returning for the first time in nearly 100 days.
In his absence, Davinson Sanchez has been excellent, showing huge potential for the future, despite the odd lackadaisical moments that he is prone to.
For more team news for Saturday’s North London derby read 101 Great Goals’ match preview here.