Tottenham transfer has turned from a source of mockery to a reason for pride

There weren’t big expectations around Federico Fazio when he joined Roma from Tottenham last summer. In fact that’s probably an understatement.

Mauricio Pochettino had decided he didn’t need Fazio at Spurs, and there was little chance of the Argentine getting ahead of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, not to mention the other options available.

Having arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, the player had only a few minutes during his first months, as he tried to convince manager Luciano Spalletti he deserved a place in the starting team.

Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport has a story about it today, saying how Fazio changed from an unknown to an indispensable player in the squad.

“Which Fabio?” is a joke mentioned in the article, as it was common for people at the club to have a laugh about the player’s anonymity.

The transfer looked like a gamble on Roma’s behalf, as Tottenham tried to find any destination for the defender.

But things changed a lot, and the “Fabio who?” changed to “Fazio!”, after the defender showed he has the potential to boss the team’s defence.

It’s now been 31 starts for Roma this season, and Fazio has been excellent. Roma have now made the player’s loan move from Tottenham permanent and Fazio is in a new positive chapter of his career.