Lamela returns to Roma for treatment

Tottenham Hotspur winger Erik Lamela has returned to former club Roma for treatment after becoming frustrated by the progress of a hip injury, manager Mauricio Pochettino revealed on Friday.

Lamela, 24, has not played since Spurs' 2-1 League Cup defeat at Liverpool on October 25 and spent a week in his native Argentina in December visiting his hospitalised brother.

Despite subsequently returning to London, he has missed Tottenham's run of five successive Premier League wins and Pochettino decided a change of scenery would be beneficial.

"He went to Italy now. They need to change a little about the atmosphere. He has strong links in Rome," Pochettino told a press conference at the Tottenham training centre in north London.

“We hope that after that period he will come again and be available to start training with the team."