Tottenham Hotspur have seldom been a club to throw money at a problem, but following the sale of Gareth Bale, that all seemed to change. For once, a club often strapped for cash now had £85m to play with and they would spend it on seven new faces with the plan to take them to the next level.

However, the greatest signing they would come to make was to appoint Mauricio Pochettino just one year after the infamous exit of the mercurial Welshman.

The Argentine had earned prior success with Southampton, but few could have predicted him turning the Lilywhites into constant top-four contenders until his eventual sacking. Perhaps flying too close to the sun, Daniel Levy sought to take the next step with Jose Mourinho, as a serial winner wherever he had been previously.

Backed financially too, as the Portuguese legend often demands, his stint quickly proved that the grass is not always greener should you hastily move to pastures new. Even now, two years on from his sacking, the club are left with some relics of his failed reign that have been long-forgotten given the rest of the turmoil surrounding them.

However, perhaps Giovani Lo Celso was dismissed too easily, given the quality he could well have boasted in the long run.

How has Giovani Lo Celso played whilst on loan?

Having signed for a mouth-watering £27.2m deal in 2020 after a successful prior loan spell, the Argentine joined with many suggesting Spurs had secured a bargain. In a window where Christian Eriksen had departed, there were big shoes for the new midfielder to fill.

However, with just five goals across 28 appearances in all competitions following his permanent move, the fanbase was left underwhelmed. So too was Antonio Conte, who was chosen to succeed the baffling short appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo.

The former Chelsea boss would swiftly ship Lo Celso out on loan to Villarreal, where the 27-year-old has been ever since.

Pundit Noel Whelan even pleaded with them to sell completely, claiming: "He’s not cut it ever since Christian Eriksen left. They were looking for that replacement for Eriksen, and he’s not done anything. He’s not adjusted to the Premier League. When he’s played, he’s been average – at best."

For all the complaints regarding the lack of form for the left-footed maestro, this campaign has been an impressive one for the former Paris Saint-Germain ace back in Spain. Whilst his parent club has suffered a season of woe, the £70k-per-week star has maintained a 7.04 Sofascore average rating in La Liga.

This figure is largely upheld by his creative exploits, as he has recorded 1.5 shots on target and 1.1 key passes per game. However, this is paired with consistency in the heart of midfield, with an 86% pass accuracy and 1.8 tackles per game supporting this side of his game too, as per Sofascore.

It was no coincidence that Lo Celso's exit coincided with the acquisition of Rodrigo Bentancur, who has admittedly thrived since moving to north London.

The 7.21 average rating of the Uruguayan has made him something of a revelation, but it is set to cost them an extra £21.5m. Given there is not a huge gulf in quality between the two, and the money already invested in the on-loan Villarreal gem, perhaps Conte could have considered giving Mourinho's big signing a chance to prove his worth.

Does Giovani Lo Celso have a future at Spurs?

With the Italian now the latest to face the chopping block following his scathing rant of the club's failings, it perhaps gives one final opportunity for Lo Celso to return and prove his worth.

What makes that possibility even more likely is the fact that Bentancur has been ruled out for the foreseeable future, having had to undergo ACL surgery in mid-February. Amidst the misery at the club, an opportunity has presented itself.

With the Argentina international seeking to finish off his fine season in Spain, he could return to his parent club at its lowest point in years. This marks a perfect chance for Mourinho's prodigy to finally fulfil his potential at last, as part of the squad to hopefully right all the wrongs of recent years.

Entering his prime too, and with two years left on his contract, there is no harm in at least keeping the midfielder around to see what might arise now that Bentancur is finally out of the picture.

It could mark an investment finally fulfilled, should the new boss give Lo Celso the time to show what tempted Spurs to buy in the first place.