Unsettled Giovani dos Santos to Stay at Tottenham?
As one of the three nominees for FIFA’s best young player award in the recently concluded World Cup, Mexican forward Giovani dos Santos was a pleasure to watch while his team was still in the tournament.
Dos Santos' club team, English side Tottenham, hopes he’ll be able to discipline himself and replicate his performances for Mexico in the Premier League this season.
Excelling especially against France, Dos Santos proved a constant threat against the opposition’s defensive lines in the tournament.
Dos Santos' movement, speed, and creativity on the ball saw him in possession throughout the games, drifting from his preferred right wing to the middle and left side of the field, just behind forwards Carlos Vela and Guillermo Franco.
At only the age of 13, Dos Santos, son of Brazilian footballer Gerardo ‘Zizinho’ dos Santos, began to play for FC Barcelona’s famous youth academy.
With impressive speed, ball control, and finishing ability, the young Dos Santos seemed a perfect match for skillfulness and fluid movement on the Spanish side.
In 2007, shortly before making his debut for Barcelona’s senior team, Dos Santos was awarded Spanish citizenship.
The forward still wishes to play for his native Mexico, though, the double nationality serving more as a practicality for his club, who can only register three non-EU players in its squad.
Dos Santos finished his 2007/2008 season for Barcelona with three goals to his name, all scored in the final game of the season against Real Murcia.
During the summer transfer period, Tottenham signed the then 19 year-old forward for €10.5 million, hoping to have made a bargain on a blossoming striking talent.
But with only 12 first-team appearances and no goals for Tottenham during his first season, Dos Santos was loaned to Ipswich Town in March 2009.
Dos Santos made 8 appearances for the championship side during the remainder of the season, scoring 4 goals and providing his home club Tottenham with some hope that he could prosper in English football.
During the same period, Dos Santos delivered inspiring performances for the Mexican national team. Mexico won the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup and Dos Santos was voted the player of the tournament.
Dos Santos' national team performances led his club to be hopeful that he could prove an effective option on the wing or up front for the 2009/2010 season.
During the autumn of 2009, though, Dos Santos frequented London’s night clubs and seemed to have lost focus on his career in football – at least when playing for Tottenham.
Hoping his forward would regain the form that had initially sparked Tottenham’s interest, manager Harry Redknapp approved another loan deal for his Mexican striker.
This time, Dos Santos went to Turkish club Galatasaray, where his former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard was reunited with the young prospect. Dos Santos made 14 appearances for the club, with no goals scored.
His strong performances in South Africa, where he formed a constant threat to the likes of William Gallas, Gabriel Heinze and other world class defenders, sparked several clubs’ interest in the forward.
Given his inability to settle in London during his first two years, many have tipped Dos Santos to leave Tottenham before the transfer window closes on August 31.
His manager Redknapp, however, has signaled that he is ready to keep the striker, provided that he shows more discipline than in recent seasons.
"If he could pass a nightclub as well as he can pass a ball, he would be all right," the Tottenham manager recently told the Daily Star.
Despite his disciplinary problems, and Galatasaray having the option to sign the player at the end of the loan deal, Redknapp seems intent on keeping Dos Santos, knowing the tremendous potential he holds.
“He has had a great World Cup. If he knuckles down this year, he could be a top player," said Redknapp.
What does the future hold for Dos Santos? We'll just have to wait and see what becomes of this young star in the making.
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