Almost Discarded, $27 Million Bryan Gil Gives Tottenham Hotspur An Alternative Path

Previously overlooked Spanish winger Bryan Gil is finally repaying Tottenham Hotspur’s €25 million ($27 million) faith in him by hitting form in Premier League when it needs him most—a turn of events few could have anticipated.

Entering a tricky run of fixtures, including back-to-back tests against title hopefuls Manchester City and rival Arsenal, he is now an unlikely asset for a side aiming to level up its top-four credentials and progress in the Champions League in March.

It’s been nearly 18 months since the diminutive midfielder, revered in Spain after spells with Eibar and Sevilla, made the brave move to England as a 20-year-old. To his frustration, it hasn’t entirely gone to plan, with other names—like Dejan Kulusevski—playing more frequently in his position.

Indeed, Gil has been an afterthought in Spurs’ squad during much of his stay and joined Valencia on loan at one stage. Did that mark the end? No, it seems. Suddenly, he has a role to play. Inconsistent and sometimes predictable, and with injuries to boot, Spurs’ predicament puts him back in the frame. For him, it’s a classic case of better late than never—and he deserves it for being patient and bucking trends along the way.

Gil’s glimpses of potential coincide with Spurs coach Antonio Conte lamenting his team’s lack of creativity. Whether this public frustration has filtered through to his players is unknown. Yet it’s telling that some—namely Gil—have jolted into life. In truth, it’s been a pleasant surprise, although he’s always had the talent.

The Spaniard is diminutive in stature, which media and fans are fast to mention. Following his move to London, he admitted the Premier League’s physicality was a challenge (Spanish). But it takes more to deter a player whose quick feet and pace have done the talking against more imposing opponents in La Liga. Occupying the slippery, unpredictable attacker role renders him an asset for Spurs when it needs fresh impetus and a dash of style, with doubts over the team’s progress still there. A taste of what’s to come was on show against Crystal Palace, with energy and creativity making up for no goals, which Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were all too happy to score.

Hovering around 60kg, Gil is among the lightest players in the Premier League. And while many similar in build have gone on to thrive, the ability to outmuscle other players is a plus in a physically imposing division. Soccer has advanced a long way since big strikers’ heyday, but notable arrivals like Erling Haaland, Darwin Núñez, and now Cody Gakpo show there is still some clamor for this type of offensive player.

And lesser so for someone in Gil’s mold. But what he lacks in that department is offset by the trickiness and intelligence he has to compete. €25 million ($27 million) is an unremarkable investment in elite circles, and it would have been easy to let Gil slip away and reconfigure plans in attacking third. In the end, Tottenham has kept faith in the player, and he is taking his chance.

What’s arguably more interesting is how Gil has returned to the fold at a juncture where it is so easy to give up on players who take a while to adjust when switching clubs. Deciding if a signing proves a hit or not takes little time in a results-driven business, so turning the tables and finding a way back into the selection deserves some recognition.

La Liga arrivals in England are relatively uncommon, and lesser-known names such as Iago Aspas have previously arrived in the Premier League unsteadily. Fans have not always witnessed their quality. Gil can be a different story, though.

Conte knows the score. “Born to play” was his verdict after Spurs dismantled Palace, Gil’s finest hour in London. “He’s so clever, so intelligent to understand the situation (in games),” he continued post-match.

“He has to become stronger physically. I compared him to Bernardo Silva at Manchester City because, in my opinion, they are similar. He has to continue to work strongly on the physical aspect because, and I repeat, we are talking about a player with great quality.”

An intuitive player with a boy band haircut, Gil could become a local favorite if things pick up further. An appearance on the front of FIFA’s next video game cover is improbable, but more playing time would surely help his marketability. The humble Spaniard’s next objective is to hold a place in the team and ensure this is not just a purple patch, or he could just as well fade into the background again.

With only a handful of caps for Spain, he’s unlikely to be at the forefront of his country’s international rebuild. However, strong performances will give coach Luis de la Fuente another option before the European Championship qualifiers begin. With his club searching for an edge to drive forward plans and Spain needing to reinvent itself, both have an emerging figure on the scene.