Tottenham must be patient with Erik Lamela, says Andre Villas-Boas

Andre Villas-Boas has warned Tottenham Hotspur that they must be patient with club-record signing Erik Lamela.

The Argentina international has failed to score in six Premier League appearances following his £30m move to the north London side from Roma in the summer.

We’ve been very careful with him and given him our full support. It’s a heavy price tag

Villas-Boas on Lamela

Villas-Boas claims Lamela took six months to settle at Roma when he initially moved to the Italian capital, and the Spurs boss plans to carefully manage the playmaker.

“We need to be a little bit patient with him, not speaking the language, it’s very difficult,” Villas-Boas said.

“Not only that but coming from a completely different social background. Imagine moving from Roma to Tottenham, it’s a difficult step for him.

“So we need to give him the chance to break into the team and I think eventually, when a game goes fully his way for 90 minutes, we can have him to the level he can achieve.

“We’ve been very careful with him and given him our full support. It’s a heavy price tag, a price tag that was deserved for what he did at Roma, but I think he still needs time.

“It took him about six months to settle in Roma. Also position-wise, he started out on the left there, then had a wonderful season on the right.

“At the moment on the right is not going well for him so he shifted back to the left and I think that will come good.”