Tottenham appear to be on the hunt for a goalkeeper they believe has the potential to be an adequate long-term successor to Hugo Lloris. For many years, Daniel Levy and the Spurs board have not had to worry about an upgrade in the goalkeeping department, with the French World Cup-winning shot-stopper having been the club’s firm No. 1 since arriving from Lyon in 2012.
However, as Lloris enters the latter part of his career, football.london understands the north London club are finally looking to bring in the Frenchman's heir apparent this summer. Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez appears to be high up on Tottenham’s shortlist, alongside the likes of Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia, Brentford's David Raya and AC Milan's Mike Maignan.
Their potential pursuit of the 25-year-old Spaniard may also have been given a significant, and perhaps unexpected, boost by Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi. The Seagulls head coach opted to leave the ‘keeper out of his starting line-up for their 4-0 victory against West Ham on Saturday.
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He instead chose veteran back-up Jason Steele to fill the role between the sticks, ending a run of 48 league appearances in a row for Sanchez, stretching back 15 months. De Zerbi has since hinted that Steele could be set for an extended run in goal, potentially paving the way for Sanchez’s exit this summer.
The Italian believes Steele’s attributes better suit his expansive style of passing out from the back, despite only receiving minutes in the domestic cup competitions before Saturday’s outing. “I am sad for Robert because with him I have one of the best relationships,” De Zerbi explained to The Argus after the match.
“I spoke with him yesterday but I think my job is to be a coach. You have to be honest and clear and Jason now is playing better than Robert.
“Robert is playing well but Jason was fantastic in the build-up, for example, in my style. Maybe he is closer than Robert to my style. But I think Robert can work to arrive at the same level. Okay, there are different characteristics, I understand, but Robert is a good guy and I think he will want to improve in this aspect.”
Despite De Zerbi’s reservations, Spurs have reportedly identified Sanchez as one of the options to perfectly fit the bill for Antonio Conte’s plan, including his ability to make good decisions under pressure, as reported by the Daily Mail.
However, one of Spurs’ key characteristics they are looking for is a ‘keeper who can contribute to the side’s build-up play, and this damning feedback from his current manager could set alarm bells ringing for those tasked with signing the right candidate.
The 25-year-old competed with David Raya as cover for Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper Unai Simon at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. His current deal expires in two years, which could hand Fabio Paratici and co a cost-effective option, especially as the Seagulls may be more willing to strike a deal given his recent fall down the pecking order.
His experience in the Premier League for a team on the rise is another incentive to target Sanchez, considering they need a ready-made option to take Spurs’ No. 1 position. A further intriguing aspect to this potential deal is that he is represented by the same agency as Gareth Bale, Joe Rodon and Ben Davies.
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