Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping close tabs on Brentford shot-stopper David Raya as their search to find Hugo Lloris’ long-term replacement continues.
According to 90min, David Raya has emerged as the latest reported target for Tottenham in their search for a long-term replacement for ageing Hugo Lloris this summer.
Spurs’ fortunes have improved since Antonio Conte took over the reins as manager. He led them to fourth place after they finished sixth and seventh the two seasons before he assumed control. Their return to Europe’s elite competition this season saw them top their group, albeit making a real hash of it.
Furthermore, Conte has reinstated them to the top four of the Premier League heading into the World Cup break, only one point behind third-placed Newcastle United. However, everyone would agree the performances have not been convincing, and while many players are flourishing under Conte, certain players, especially defenders and the goalkeeper, have been questioned as to whether they fit into his plans.
To his credit, current first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been a reliable presence in goal for Spurs for nearly a decade now, racking up 437 appearances across all competitions since joining from Lyon in 2013. He is a great leader and one of the squad’s most vital members, though it’s safe to say that he is no longer operating at the level he once was.
The 35-year-old is on the decline and has allowed mistakes to creep into his game, as he made two errors in the top flight this season for Tottenham and three in total last season. As harsh as it may sound, it’s perhaps time for Spurs to move him on or demote him to a backup goalkeeper role by bringing in a new No. 1.
A host of goalkeepers have been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium lately, as Lloris appears to be on his way out after next season. The Frenchman is under contract until the summer of 2024, so getting a new guy in place before then seems prudent.
Jordan Pickford, Robert Sanchez, Illan Meslier, and Diogo Costa are among the candidates on Spurs’ wishlist. The latest name to join the long list of Spurs goalkeeper targets is David Raya.
The 27-year-old has been an instrumental part of Brentford’s success in recent years, from securing promotion to comfortable Premier League survival in their debut Premier League campaign, keeping eight clean sheets in 24 league appearances last term.
Raya’s impressive form in the 2021-22 season saw him break into the Spain national team, and the goalkeeper is also part of Luis Enrique’s World Cup squad ahead of Manchester United’s David de Gea.
He is certainly one of the better ball-playing goalkeepers in the Premier League. A decent reflex shot-stopper, he almost acts as the last sweeper or deep-lying playmaker at times and specializes in playing accurate long balls to find the central striker or spray in the channels for the wing-backs.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Raya in the past, and he would be a fantastic choice to take over from Lloris if Spurs were to sign him. Contracted until the summer of 2024, Brentford could be enticed into facilitating an exit for their No. 1 should they look to extract the best value out of their prized asset.
