Saturday 12 April 2014 08:01, UK
Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood says he does not expect record signing Erik Lamela to play again this season.
Lamela may be the highest profile of Spurs' summer signings to find his first season a difficult one but he is not alone. Roberto Soldado has scored just once since the turn of the year while Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and Nacer Chadli have shown only brief signs of their true potential. None of those players had previous experience of English football before signing for Spurs and Sherwood feels that is something that worked against both the club and their new acquisitions. He highlighted Everton's business, which saw them sign England midfielder Gareth Barry and Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan, as the perfect example of how to go about bringing in players to make a difference. "I am a firm believer that Premier League experience is key," he added. "Yes, you can buy someone who has never played in the Premier League and he comes over and he is a revelation but it's more of a risk doing that. "If you want to look at any team you've got to look at Everton and what they've done in the transfer market - it is second to none. "On Deadline Day they looked like an average side - all of a sudden they make three signings and it turns them into what they are now. "That's the business that is done. It was very cute from [Roberto] Martinez and whoever was involved in bringing them in because whoever brought them in, certainly they were Martinez's players he wanted. "You've got Gareth Barry with 534 games or whatever it is in the Premier League - crucial for any club. Lukaku was the best young player last season. He had that loan spell at Everton where he did brilliantly and he has it onto this year. "And then there's Gerard Deulofeu who everyone knows is in development phase of football. He can be anything he possibly wants to be and he is showing that now, and the acquisition of McCarthy, they have certainly done brilliantly in the transfer market."
