Tottenham Hotspur winger Lucas Moura 'could be leaving' north London, former BBC Radio Leeds pundit Noel Whelan has claimed.

The Lowdown: Contract running down...

The Brazilian joined Spurs in 2018 from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, putting pen to paper on a £23m move to the Premier League and later becoming a fan favourite in N17.

Lucas is best remembered for his heroic Champions League semi-final hat-trick against Ajax in 2019, three goals which sent supporters into raptures and created Spurs history as they reached their first European Cup final.

The attacker is currently sidelined through injury, and despite some fierce competition for places at Tottenham, manager Antonio Conte maintains that the 30-year-old is an 'important player' at Hotspur Way.

However, that isn't reflected in his contract situation, given that his deal expires next summer and there is no sign of a potential renewal.

The Latest: Whelan shares Lucas exit claim...

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-BBC pundit and former Leeds United striker Whelan believes that Lucas could indeed leave Tottenham in 2023.

The 47-year-old said: “Lucas Moura, a very talented player, could be leaving. That could leave a gaping hole for someone like ]Marcus] Edwards to come in and have another chance."

The Verdict: Stick or twist?

At 30 years of age, if Spurs choose to extend Lucas' deal, chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici would do so in the knowledge that there would be little sell-on potential in future transfer windows.

However, given his contribution on the pitch, keeping the South American around for the long haul wouldn't be the worst decision by Spurs, and there are plenty of top clubs who decide to keep hold of aging players.

For example, Premier League champions Manchester City extended Riyad Mahrez's contract in July, with the 31-year-old now remaining at the Etihad Stadium until 2025.