Revealed: Spurs summer overhaul begins, Mourinho plans to build team around £27m man
Jose Mourinho is planning to build his Tottenham side next season around midfield maestro Giovani Lo Celso, Football Insider can reveal.
The Portugese has been hugely impressed by the versatile left-footer and is convinced he can be a standout in the Premier League and Europe in the coming years.
A Spurs source has told Football Insider that the club are already taking early steps to rejuvenate and strengthen their squad in the summer.
Among the positions where the club are scouting potential targets are central defence, right-back, defensive midfield and striker.
A number of senior Spurs players face major question marks over their future going into the summer window.
One player Mourinho is planning for a huge role next season is Lo Celso, who he regards as capable of providing the industry and creativity he is craving from the centre of the pitch.
He initially struggled to make an impression in north London after signing on a loan-to-buy deal from Real Betis last summer.
But the versatile operator is starting to find his feet and has produced a string of impressive displays in central midfield.
Mourinho was so impressed by what he saw of the Argentine he gave the green light in January for Tottenham to exercise their option to sign Lo Celso for £27million, after making an initial loan payment of £15m last summer.
Lo Celso has been used in central midfield with great success as well as in various attacking midfield positions.
He has started five of Spurs' last seven Premier League games in central midfield and the team was immediately more effective when he replaced Tanguy Ndombele at half-time of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Burnley.