Jose Mourinho has helped Tottenham Hotspur stay in contention for a top-four spot in the 2020-21 Premier League, as he has seemingly uncovered his ideal playing XI. However, that has meant some players have seen diminishing game-time and do not find themselves in Jose Mourinho's plans at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.
Tottenham Hotspur made as many as nine new signings in the summer, one of them being the high-profile capture of Gareth Bale, albeit on loan.
Five players who are surplus to requirements at Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur
Though new arrivals do not necessarily mean an upheaval in the squad, if the players are not performing well, the gaffer has every right to keep them on the sidelines.
On that note, let us take a look at five such Tottenham Hotspur players who are presently out of favour under Jose Mourinho.
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#5 Danny Rose
Danny Rose was once the undisputed left-back at Tottenham Hotspur.
A product of the Leeds United academy, the 30-year-old defender made his Premier League debut with Tottenham Hotspur in 2007 and has made more than 200 appearances for the club in all competitions.
However, a lengthy injury spell in the 2016-17 season meant that Ben Davies came to the fore. The Welshman has since been an ever-present in the Tottenham Hotspur lineup, while Rose had been utilised intermittently during this period.
Rose was sent on a short loan spell in January last year to Newcastle United. Without a squad number for the season, Rose is ineligible to play for the club till this month.
Mourinho spent £25 million on Sergio Reguilon, one of the most exciting left-backs in Europe, in September. With Davies also in the Tottenham Hotspur ranks, it seems Rose's time at the club is all but over.
#4 Paulo Gazzaniga
Another Tottenham Hotspur player who has failed to register a single minute of game-time this season is goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
The Argentine shot-stopper was the first-choice custodian at Spurs for the majority of last season because of an injury to Hugo Lloris. However, since the Frenchman's return, the former Southampton keeper has found himself relegated to the bench.
With the arrival of Joe Hart in the summer, Gazzaniga has fallen further down the pecking order at Tottenham Hotspur. The 29-year-old has been surplus to requirements even in the Europa League and domestic Cup competitions.
With Spurs chasing a top-four finish in the Premier League, it is unlikely Mourinho will pick him Gazzaniga over Lloris or Hart unless one of the two gets injured.
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#3 Erik Lamela
Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min are in good form up front for Tottenham Hotspur this season, and the likes of Steven Bergwjin, Lucas Moura and Carlos Vinicius have had a decent presence in the attacking third.
That has meant Erik Lamela, one of the longest-serving players at Tottenham Hotspur,,finds himself on the sidelines.
The skilful winger has struggled to get going since arriving from Roma in 2013, owing to his persistent injuries.
Unsurprisingly, Jose Mourinho has used Lamela sparingly this season. The Argentine forward has seen just 539 minutes of action this season. However, the player is likely to stay at Tottenham Hotspur till the end of the current campaign.
#2 Harry Winks
Harry Winks is another player who has increasingly been sidelined under Jose Mourinho. A key player under former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, Winks has struggled for game-time under Mourinho.
That is because the Portuguese manager prefers Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko in the middle of the park. Giovani Lo Celso, who is injured at the moment, is also above Winks in the Tottenham Hotspur pecking order.
However, with Winks.featuring in three of Tottenham Hotspur's last four Premier League games, the player could still have a future under Jose Mourinho.
#1 Dele Alli
When Jose Mourinho took over the reins at Tottenham Hotspur, Dele Alli was n form. He got three assists and four goals in Mourinho's first five games in charge of Spurs.
Just when it looked like Alli would be one of the key players under Mourinho, the player has only managed 472 minutes of action in various competitions this season.
With the arrival of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Jose Mourinho has found the kind of midfielder he was always looking for.
As the Portuguese tactician prefers a double pivot in the middle of the pitch, the out-of-form Delle Alli has his task cut out to return to the Tottenham Hotspur playing-XI.