This summer will represent the end of an era for many at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. An opportunity to reset as a club with a new manager and managing director of football required, Spurs also have plenty to do in the transfer market to upgrade their current playing squad.
That means there will be a whole host of incomings and outgoings ahead of the summer transfer deadline. Having already confirmed the departure of Lucas Moura following the end of his contract, the Brazilian appears on course to be joined by captain Hugo Lloris in looking for a new club.
Serving Tottenham so well since first joining in 2012 from Lyon, the World Cup winner indicated his desire to try something new in an interview with French media outlet Nice-Matin on Saturday. "We are coming to an important moment, whether for the club or for me. It's the end of an era. I have desires for other things," said the 36-year-old.
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"I will ask myself quietly to study what will be possible. But I don't forget that I still have a year of contract with Tottenham and that in football it is always difficult to predict what will happen. What is essential at the moment is to recover well from my injury. I'm on vacation but I continue to talk and do my training. My goal is to be on top in July, then we'll see what the future holds for me."
The likely departure of Lloris over the coming weeks will see Tottenham lose a leader and a key voice in the dressing room. The games behind closed doors during lockdown highlighted just how vocal Lloris actually is on the pitch for Tottenham as it's not always clear to see when games are played in front of a capacity crowd.
Although a few errors have hit his game in recent seasons and a change is needed as Spurs plot for the future, Lloris will be a miss both on and off the pitch for Tottenham if he is to bring the curtain down on 11 years in north London. Leaders are one thing the new manager requires heading into the new campaign, with Ange Postecoglou now on course to be Daniel Levy's choice to succeed Antonio Conte.
It is an area Tottenham are already short in and could certainly do with improving on to help the club move forward after a dismal past few years. As things stand, Lloris, Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Harry Kane comprise of Spurs' leadership group.
With Lloris looking set for a new challenge elsewhere, there are question marks over what will happen with both Dier and Kane over the coming months. The centre-back will soon enter the final year of his Tottenham contract and a decision is needed one way or another.
As part of the reset that is required at the club, it could be the perfect time to sell Dier and build a new backline with Spurs having a number of issues there over the course of last season. In terms of Kane, his future is very much up in the air due to his contract status and Tottenham's struggles to compete for the silverware he desperately craves.
While all of a Tottenham persuasion will be hoping that a new deal can be agreed on, Manchester United have been heavily linked with the player and Real Madrid could also now try their luck to sign him following the news that Karim Benzema is departing the Santiago Bernabeu. Tottenham could potentially find themselves in a position this summer where three of the four players in their leadership group are playing for new clubs in 2023/24 if summer exits do come to fruition.
In order for Tottenham to move forward as one and compete for the trophies they require, big voices are needed in both the changing room and on the pitch. Boasting quite a young squad with players such as Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Pape Matar Sarr, Bryan Gil and Destiny Udogie joining as part of Fabio Paratici's transfer deals over the past two years, a vocal presence and leaders are needed to help guide the young members of the team along.
Possessing more leaders at Tottenham can only be a positive thing and it is a must for Postecoglou, or whoever takes on the managerial hotseat, and the club's new managing director of football ahead of the summer transfer deadline. Already needing to do so much ahead of the 2023/23 season, Tottenham must not leave a huge void of leadership and experience at the club as that is going to play a pivotal role in taking them forward once again.
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