Lamela
Lamela has started only two Premier League games this season. [Reuters]

Reports suggest Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is willing to send record signing Erik Lamela on loan to Atletico Madrid in January, after a disappointing start to his career at White Hart Lane.

Lamela, who was earmarked as Gareth Bale's replacement when he joined Spurs from Roma for £30m in the summer, has failed to make a great impact in his first few months in north London.

The Argentine winger has failed to secure a regular place in Villas-Boas's line up - starting only two Premier League games and scoring just one goal in the Europa League.

Online website Footylatest claims that Lamela is keen to spend the rest of the season at Atletico to rebuild his confidence, and Villas-Boas agrees with the idea.

Atletico Madrid are looking for a playmaker after last summer failing to secure the services of Wolfsburg´s Diego Rivas. They have also been linked with Chelsea's Kevin De Bruyne but as Jose Mourinho does not want to let the Belgian leave the team in January, the Spanish's side attention turned to Lamela.

According to reports, the two clubs have already discuss the deal and the Argentine player, a native Spanish speaker, is keen to move to Atletico as one of his biggest problems to adapt to Tottenham has been the language. Furthermore, he wants to play more minutes to ensure a place in the Argentina squad for next summer's World Cup.

Lamela was a very succesful player for Roma, who signed him from Argentine club River Plate in 2011. During two seasons at the Italian side he scored 21 goals in 67 games.

Villas-Boas has been trying to help the 21-year-old attacking midfielder adapt to English culture and football. However, according to the reports now he believes that a loan to Spain may be the best remedy for the player.

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