Tottenham will have a tough task at hand replacing Hugo Lloris, and we look at three potential options, including a relegated star.
Hugo Lloris has spent nearly a decade as Tottenham’s first-choice goalkeeper and will have many fond memories of his time here. During this time, he made 447 senior appearances across all competitions and put up some serious performances along the way.
Those include many games in that season when Tottenham challenged for the title and helped them reach the Champions League final. While most will remember him for being that captain who won nothing at the club, there have been times when the team could have been worse without his presence.
🚨 Hugo Lloris announces his desire to leave Tottenham in the summer. #THFC
“It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will carefully study what is possible”.
“I haven’t forgotten that I’ve a year left on my contract at Spurs”, Nice Matin reports via @GFFN. pic.twitter.com/8EBBho5J87
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 3, 2023
His powers have waned in the last 18 months, and Tottenham had already considered selling him in the summer. Lloris will have a year left on his deal but might reach a compromise with the club to leave. There’s the high-profile interest from Saudi Arabia, and he might move on to take home one last big paycheck.
Lloris also confirmed his desire to depart; truthfully, it is a much-needed change from Tottenham’s perspective. In the last 18 months, he has been disastrous in goal. And in this campaign, the Frenchman leads the charts for errors leading to goals.
🥴 Hugo Lloris has committed more errors leading to an opposition goal (4) than any other player in the Premier League this season pic.twitter.com/i01VXRlrBO
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 11, 2023
If Tottenham want to challenge for honours, they might need an immediate, long-term solution to their goalkeeping problem. Lloris was also absent for a considerable period through injury, and his deputy, Fraser Forster, is not good enough either.
As the summer window gets ever closer to opening up, there are a few options Spurs should consider. We have drawn up three names that could replace Lloris at Spurs, with the club linked with all of those, including a relegated star.
Giorgi Mamardashvili
Mamardashvili is the most surprising name, unknown to most fans owing to his shadowy presence at Valencia. The Georgian impressed with Los Che after a period on loan, and the club readily paid a paltry sum to sign him permanently.
🚨That's that, on the final day of the season, Valencia manage to stay up!
We witnessed no shortage of splendid displays from Mamardashvili this season, but it's surely time to move on.🇬🇪🤝🇪🇸
Next stop Chelsea?🔜🔵👀 pic.twitter.com/EA1wnenURz
— Georgian Footy (@GeorgianFooty) June 4, 2023
Today he is reportedly worth much more than what Valencia paid, but something that should fit Tottenham’s budget. Along with some other Premier League clubs like Chelsea, Mamardashvili surely features on Spurs’ list of potential Lloris replacements.
The Georgian is a potent shot-stopper and can improve vastly with his distribution. He has been a revelation at Valencia. And like many other players there, he might move on for a bigger challenge. The goal for footballers nowadays often ends in the Premier League, which may be the case with Mamardashvili.
Whether Tottenham want to risk their future with a relatively inexperienced keeper like Mamardashvili remains the question. However, like Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal, he could quickly adapt to new surroundings and become a star within no time.
A decision will be made with new manager Ange Postecoglou and his preferred style, which may not involve Lloris. As for Mamardashvili, he may get a knock on the door from Tottenham if they decide to go against signing a Premier League experienced stopper.
Illan Meslier
For years, Meslier has garnered the reputation of being one of the most improved stars in the Premier League. The Frenchman made a big mark by helping Leeds United rise up to the Premier League to put in some stellar performances in the three years at the top level.
Interest from top clubs resulted from his good performances, which, surprisingly, have dried up in the last few months. Some top-notch clubs considered moving in January, but Leeds would have blocked a potential transfer, for they were battling to evade relegation.
With their demotion confirmed, Meslier might stay at the top level and demand a transfer. Whether he had a relegation clause in his contract remains the question, but Tottenham might think about a cut-price move for the Frenchman.
While Tottenham were interested alongside other clubs, will his visible drop in form have a bearing on the pursuit? Meslier will have many answers to questions posed by pundits at the back end of the season, but he still hasn’t shown readiness to play at the highest level.
The Frenchman remains an option but a risky one for Tottenham. Then again, Postecoglou may have the final say in recruiting a new goalkeeper, especially if it’s of a modern style like David Raya.
David Raya
As things stand, David Raya is the best goalkeeper to become available for transfer following his stance with Brentford. After another stellar season, the Spaniard is finally ready to quit the Bees for a bigger challenge.
🚨 EXCL — David Raya’s Futbol21Pro agent Jaume Munell: “If Brentford does not lower the price tag for David Raya this summer, we’ll be ready to leave as free agent in one year”.
Raya and his camp expect clarity over future after Brentford signed Flekken but still ask for £40m. pic.twitter.com/oH12inFOQz
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 31, 2023
As per many media reports and analyses, Raya wants to play at the top level, possibly even in the Champions League. With Tottenham unable to offer that next season, will he dismiss the idea of joining them? That said, he can become their best goalkeeping signing that could last for years.
Raya is an excellent professional with tremendous distribution skills and on-the-ball play. He is widely regarded as one of the best ball-playing keepers around. Mikel Arteta once wanted him before he signed Ramsdale. The two were playing at a similar level and were among the top stars in their position during the previous season.
If Tottenham intend to sign Raya, they must fork out a significant fee. The Spaniard is the costliest among the three on this list of Lloris replacements. However, he will prove to be an excellent addition, but much will depend on his choices, and choosing Tottenham at this stage may seem like a challenge for him or others. But other clubs, like Chelsea, might wage a battle with Spurs.
