Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood says club-record signing Erik Lamela has “no chance” of appearing in a Spurs shirt again this season.

The 22-year-old Argentinean international has appeared as something of a mystery for most Spurs fans, with a catalogue of injuries causing the summer signing to go missing for months at a time.

Rumours in the media had suggested Sherwood would come under pressure to feature Lamela before the season’s climax, something Sherwood couldn’t understand.

He said: “I read in the paper, or someone told me, that the hierarchy here are asking for him to get more opportunities.

"Chance would be a fine thing, he's injured. They’ll be no chance Erik’s fit,” he added.

Sherwood however did defend his winger, who he hasn’t had the luxury of using yet, against claims the former Roma star was a ‘flop’.

He said: “I think it is unfair because obviously he has not been fit so it has been hard to judge. The price isn't his fault”.

Lamela hasn’t featured for Tottenham in 2014, making his last appearance as a substitute against Stoke on December 29th last year.