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Erik Lamela has made it clear he had no intention of leaving Tottenham after a year of s­peculation about the creative star.

The 23-year-old Argentina­ ­international arrived from Roma in August 2013 for £27.5million and struggled to justify his fee in his first two seasons at White Hart Lane.

There was talk of him leaving, but he has now begun to flourish under the management of his compatriot Mauricio Pochettino and the improvement was evident last Thursday when he demolished AS Monaco in the Europa League with a first-half hat-trick in a 4-1 win.

And as he reflected on his personal triumph, Lamela insisted that he always saw his future at Spurs.

“It seems that every summer I have been here there have been suggestions I might be leaving. I don’t know why that came about but no way was I leaving,” he insisted.

“It has never been my intention to do that."

In pictures - Spurs 4-1 Monaco:

He did acknowledge, however, the debt he owes to Pochettino who has shown faith in Lamela where others may have hesitated.

“The manager has helped me a lot,” he said. “One of the reasons is that the training sessions are really tough. The coaches really push us and you can see the benefits. “

For all his individual skills, however, Lamela is a firm believer in the team ethic.

“Yes, I am a team player and ­everything is based on the needs of the team.

(Image: Reuters / Dylan Martinez)

Read more: Mauricio Pochettino calls for focus from his players

“As an individual I have personal ambitions – scoring goals, giving as many assists as I can but also working hard for the team and doing a job in defence as well. My ­ambitions are for the team and what we can achieve as a whole.

“A dream season? We can’t start using phrases like that because there is still half the season to go.

“If at the end of the season we can look back and see Spurs in the top four, that would be a great personal achievement and it would prove that the team has done a great job as well.”

Such was his talent as a youngster coming through the ranks at River Plate in Buenos Aires, that he was likened to Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

(Image: Alex Caparros/Getty)

It was talk that Lamela ignored.

“You don’t listen to what is going on around you,” he said. “I wasn’t aware of the comparisons then. All I am thinking about now is the present and the future. I am happy with the club and my team-mates.”

Such is the competition for places at White Hart Lane these days that Lamela – for all his midweek heroics – is not guaranteed a place against struggling Newcastle this ­afternoon.

He will be ready if picked – and ready for the challenge that Newcastle will provide.

He needed no reminding of the shock 2-0 defeat Newcastle inflicted on Liverpool a week ago.

(Image: Michael Regan)

“The bottom is always capable of beating the top team in this league,” said Lamela.

“The Premier League is so competitive so we have to be very attentive, very focused and not relax in any way – especially when it is thought to be a winnable game.

“But I am very confident about the squad and the team we have at the moment,” added Lamela.

“When we are playing at our top form, we can take on anyone. We are equal to any team in the league whether they are at the top or the bottom.”