Tottenham Hotspur have been unable to get the best out of Giovani Lo Celso and that has left head coach Antonio Conte with a 'problem' at Hotspur Way, according to South American football expert Tim Vickery.

Spurs may have spent more than £150million during the summer transfer window, but Lo Celso was among the stars to depart on loan for the remainder of the campaign in August.

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What's the latest news involving Lo Celso?

Just weeks before the September 1 deadline, Lo Celso joined Villarreal on a temporary deal until the end of the season.

The switch came after the central midfielder also spent the second half of last term with the La Liga side as a result of his opportunities being limited at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Although Lo Celso's £100,000-per-week contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2025, it appears that Conte is keen to get him off the books within the coming months after a major development emerged over the weekend.

According to Football Insider, Spurs are willing to offload the 26-year-old for just £18million during the January transfer window.

The report suggests Lo Celso is surplus to requirements under Conte, who will celebrate a year at the helm this week.

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What has Tim Vickery said about Lo Celso?

Vickery believes Lo Celso has shown during his time in La Liga and with the Argentina national team, where he has won 41 caps, that he has plenty of quality.

However, the journalist feels Tottenham have struggled to unlock his talent during his time in north London.

Vickery told GIVEMESPORT: "There were injuries at Tottenham, so I think that was a case of misfortune rather than anything else because he's shown in Spain and he has shown with the Argentine national team that he has got virtues.

"It was Tottenham's problem that they were unable to make use of those virtues."

Should Tottenham sell Lo Celso in January?

Tottenham forked out more than £55million to sign Lo Celso from Real Betis, but it is clear that the move has not worked out for either party.

In 84 appearances, the South American has only been able to muster eight goals and six assists, which is an underwhelming return for a player who headed to the capital with so much potential.

A host of injuries have caused havoc during Lo Celso's time with Spurs, forcing him to miss 45 fixtures.

During the final weeks before his August move to Villarreal, Lo Celso was excluded from the first team and forced to train on his own by Conte, so it would seem there is no way back and a permanent parting of ways would make sense.

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