Gil regrets Tottenham move as he struggles with zero goals in four years

Brián Gil (24, Girona) confessed that his time at Tottenham Hotspur was a nightmare.

British 'Sports Witness' reported on the 3rd (KST) that 'Gil, who belonged to Tottenham, admitted that he was 'essentially depressed' at the club. He found redemption by winning the Europa League during his loan spell at Sevilla.'

Gil recently revealed in an interview with 'Post United' that he had a difficult time at Tottenham. He said, 'Actually, returning to Spain was very beautiful. It was a dream come true moment to win in Sevilla after spending a poor six months in London. It feels like I was almost depressed in my first year at Tottenham. It was truly amazing that football rewarded me and allowed me to enjoy it.'

He also noted, 'Nobody expected to finish the season with a win in Sevilla because the team was in crisis when I arrived.' He added, 'The first six months at Tottenham lacked motivation. I never imagined that being a football player would involve such things. I was always thinking about enjoying playing and running, but there were many hard aspects I needed to overcome to mature.'

Sports Witness reported, 'Gil had a miserable time at Tottenham. He was highly regarded in Spain, but he never showcased his true self at Tottenham. He played a total of 1,301 minutes in 43 matches and did not score a single goal.' They noted that looking back, the transfer to Tottenham was not the right choice. Gil revealed that he plans to get his career back on track elsewhere if possible this summer.

Gil, a winger of Spanish nationality born in 2001, joined Tottenham in 2021 after leaving Sevilla. He caught much attention in La Liga with his unique left-footed dribbling that disrupts the timing of opposing defenses.

At the time, several teams were interested in Gil, but Tottenham won the transfer race by offering €25 million (approximately 40.9 billion won) along with Erik Lamela. The contract extends until 2026. Considering that Lamela could have been sold for a sufficient transfer fee, it was a bold investment for Tottenham.

However, contrary to expectations, Gil struggled to adapt to the rough Premier League (PL). He left for Valencia on loan in the second half of 2021 to secure playing time, and he remained irrelevant after returning to Tottenham.

Ultimately, Gil chose to return to his former team Sevilla on loan for the second half of the 2022-2023 season. By going back to a familiar place, he regained confidence and made significant contributions to Sevilla's UEFA Europa League victory.

The problem is that this performance did not materialize at all in the PL. Gil returned to Tottenham last season, but nothing changed. Specifically, in a match against Manchester City, he dribbled alone while lacking timing on a pass and squandered a golden opportunity, frustrating Son Heung-min. Although Gil made gestures suggesting he felt wronged by Son's strong reprimands, it was clear that his judgment was misguided.

In the end, Gil was never selected as a starter under manager Ange Postecoglou, remaining overlooked. He did not improve his physicality and only managed to play 200 minutes over 11 league matches last season, without any attacking points. Gil's cumulative record at Tottenham is 43 matches with 0 goals. He was nowhere near being a long-term replacement for Son Heung-min.

Last summer, Gil decided on a third loan. He returned to La Liga wearing a Girona jersey. As a result, Gil has emerged as a key resource this season, recording 3 goals and 3 assists in 25 league matches. However, he underwent surgery for a knee ligament and meniscus injury last month and is now out for the season.

Now, Tottenham and Gil must choose their next future. Since the contract lasts until the summer of 2026, there is only one year left once this season ends. Consequently, the contract with Tottenham was a poor choice for both Gil and Tottenham.

Gil actually confessed that he was close to a transfer to Marseille in France four years ago and could have not joined Tottenham. He said, 'It was an unexpected transfer. I was in advanced talks with Marseille, and almost everything was finalized. Then suddenly, the agent called and talked about Tottenham.'

Gil also explained, 'I was young at the time, and Tottenham had stars like Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Then, manager Nuno Espírito Santo called me and persuaded me. The transfer was finalized while I was participating in the Olympics.' Gil signed with Tottenham, dreaming of becoming Son Heung-min's wonderful junior.

Now, Gil is just waiting to part ways with Tottenham. In a recent interview, he stated, 'I am focusing on recovering and returning as best as I can. I haven't really thought much about the future. The agent will let me know how things unfold. But the best way for me is not to have a consolidation with Tottenham.'

Tottenham is expected to incur significant losses and will have no choice but to dispose of Gil this upcoming summer. Girona is considering permanently signing Gil but is reportedly only interested in a low transfer fee. Even Daniel Levy, the 'devil's negotiator' chairman of Tottenham, is expected to have no way out.

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