Rudi Garcia wants Erik Lamela to stay at Roma

Erik Lamela

AS Roma manager Rudi Garcia has said that he wants Erik Lamela to stay at the club after Tottenahm Hotspur made a reported €30m bid for the Argentine forward as a possible replacement for outgoing Welshman Gareth Bale.

Garcia is keen for the 23-year-old to remain at the club after seeing Daniel Osvaldo leave Roma for Premier League side Southampton.

“I won’t change what I said pre-season, which is that I wanted all the players in the squad to remain, but this is not the day to talk about the transfer market.

“Every coach would love to have a player who scores 15 goals per season and who is a regular in the Argentine national team.”

Garcia included Lamela in his squad to face Livorno on Sunday.

“Erik is in the squad, exactly like the other 22 players. I can’t do anything about the transfer market, so I am concentrated on tomorrow’s game to start with a win.”

Lamela scored 15 goals for Roma last season.