Tottenham are bigger than PSG!
… and yes, Moura says trophy drought will end
LUCAS MOURA left behind his ‘brother’ Neymar and the glamour of Paris Saint-Germain to make history with Tottenham.
The Brazil winger arrived in north London in January for a fee of £ 25million from the French giants and he revealed that ending Spurs’ decade-long trophy drought was part of the motivation.
Moura admitted it was a wrench to leave the French capital and his close friend.
‘Neymar is like my brother,’ he said. ‘I love him and we have a very good close relationship. It was a little bit sad to leave him and Paris because I like the life there. But I had been there for five years and it was time to have a new challenge. I wanted to play in another championship and coming here was a big opportunity for me to play in the best league in the world.’
Some may consider the move to Tottenham a step backwards for a man who came close to signing for Manchester United and was once t outed as one of t he world’s emerging talents. Moura, however, bel i eves Spurs are on a par with PSG.
‘Tottenham are a big club,’ said the 25-year-old. ‘They are probably bigger in structure than PSG. I am impressed about this and I was happy to come here.’
Spurs have not won silverware under Mauricio Pochettino but Moura believes that can change this term. ‘The relationship with him is very good,’ he said. ‘I believe we can have a big season, win a trophy. That’s why I am here, to win a trophy because I believe in the team, the project. We have the capacity to make history here.’
Moura was at a coaching session Tottenham organised with First Star, a US non-profit that partners foster children with colleges. At one point on the pitch next to him a local youngster dived theatrically to the floor, got up grinning and declared: ‘I’m Neymar Junior’.
But Moura believes the criticism levelled at his old friend following his World Cup antics was unfair. ‘Whenever Brazil do not do well people always say something like this,’ he said. ‘When Neymar plays well and scores, nobody says anything like this.’
Moura believes the £200m man will bounce back from a disappointing campaign in Russia. He said: ‘ Neymar is happy in Paris and I’m sure he’ll have a big season because he’s a bi g player. I will think about him and support him.’ When it comes to his own future Moura, who struggled to make an impact in his first half-season at Spurs, making only two Premier League starts, is clear on his personal objectives. ‘Now I am ready to give my best because I will do the whole pre-season with the team ,’ he said .‘ That is important because here is very different — the Premier League is very hard — so I will be more ready to show my talent.’
It is not surprising that Moura is keen to make the most of his opportunity, having overcome adversity to lift himself out of an impoverished up bringing in gang-ravaged Sao Paulo.
‘When I was young in Brazil it was very difficult and I worked a lot to be where I am now,’ he said. ‘It’s a dream to play in Europe, the Premier League, the Champions League. In Brazil we have a lot of problems with violence. I grew up in a really poor city. It was difficult but I always had in my head that I would win, I would be a professional player, help my family and friends and realise my dream. So I always believed in God, I worked a lot to be here. I need to enjoy every day.’