Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the deadline-day signing of the Brazilian winger from Paris st Germain in a deal believed to be worth around £25 million. The 25-year international had fallen down Unai Emery’s pecking order following the summer arrivals of Neymar and Kyllian MBappé.

The newcomer to North London,  has come a long way from his native Brazilian sunny beaches and the sophisticate Parisian society; another foreigh country, a new club and teammates, a manager with a different game philosophy… what the club’s faithful  can expect from their latest  signing ?

Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva, was born August 13, 1992 in a modest family; his mother Maria, was  a former athlete  turned hairdresser and his father Jorge, a civil servant. His childhood was far away of any fairytale; he had to leave his home and his family’s protection at only 13-years old to join a training center where he perfected his skills but had also to fight the criminal surroundings of gangs, drugs and violence.

However his family’s Catholic environment helped him to stay put and to continue his studies first at the Marcelinho Carioca’s football academy and afterwards at Clube Santa Maria in Sao Caetano  de Sul where his dribbling skills impressed coach Dirceu Gabrimmel Couto and earned him the nickname of “Marcelinho” dew of his resemblance to the former Corinthians legend.

Lucas won his first trophy  aged six and a year later played for a club called Juventus, no not the Turin based one, but another one in the Mooca district ! Two years later and some more trophies exposed  in the family’s living-room, he joined the Corinthians and spent his days studying at school in the morning , then training hard despite his fragile constitution. Living two hours away didn’t help either and the youngster’s health began to suffer.

When the club refused to bring a nutritionist to help the boy gain muscle mass and provide a place to stay near the training camp, Lucas parents decided to pull out their son from the youth academy. Would that be the end even before the beginning of their  child’s career, the foetus who kicked his mother’s womb so hard, that she was sure that he would be a footballer ?

Desperate not to  let their boy down, they contacted Sao Paolo  for a trial who was successful and so  Lucas could continue to live his dream  in the Tricolor’s training camp 21 miles away from the town, in  a suburb called Cotia.

Despite lots of fond memories, the Brazilian international still remember the “difficult” neighbourhood in which crime and drugs were everyday’s  fare…

Lucas made his debut at only eighteen and finished his first season by scoring four+ four assists; the year after nine goals and five assists he got called in the national team despite his young age. Soon he became top European clubs target, but it was Paris st Germain who signed him, a deal that cost the club the hefty price of £38M!

Alas the dream move to Paris soon became a nightmare…PSG is not an easy place to work when you’re a young player,  even as talented as Moura was. Laurent Blanc was more a “mate” than a manager, allowing  Zlatan Ibrahimovitch  rule not only the dressing room, but also the team selection and the  manager(s) who replaced him, were just as soft. Not only the (very expensive) players have the power to change things,  but the Parisian club is managed by a state (Qatar) and it makes all the difference.

“Inconsistency” was the main accusation from the club and the journalists alike; playing in such a competitive team with so many egos wasn’t easy either, not for a humble boy from Sao Paolo’s suburbs. Once upon a time L’Equipe’s front page was all about PSG’s brazilian MESSI(AH) but things changed year after year; never mind that the player scored goals or was very friendly and humble, he just wasn’t a star like the Parisians wanted. The player lacked efficiency yes, but maybe he wasn’t working in  friendly surroundings. The Parisian club’s owners want the Champions League at any price and patience is not one of their qualities.

Coming to Tottenham, could be a blessing for the Brazilian international; the club’s air is healthy, big  egos are not welcomed and  manager Mauricio Pochettino always helps players who want to do well and progress.

The newcomer started(and starred) his first Spurs game vs Rockdale(2-2) and scored an important goal for his new club. Still rusty and not in full fitness(yet) he showed good dispositions like speed, pace and talent; should be a good addition to Tottenham’s squad. Last but not least: the new Spur started his career in the same pitch when seven years before another Spur made his first steps in the English football…take a bow HARRY KANE !

Categories: Biography, opinion

Tags: Lucas Moura, PSG's transfers, Tottenham Hotspur transfers