Tottenham are monitoring a potential long-term replacement for goalkeeper and club captain Hugo Lloris in the coming weeks and months. The Frenchman has been a fantastic servant to the club since joining from Lyon in 2012 for a fee costing roughly £10.5million at the time.
Since then, the 36-year-old has made well over 400 appearances for the club, keeping 149 clean sheets and enjoying some memorable moments. However, it appears as though all good things come to an end as his form takes a dip in key moments at a time where Spurs cannot afford to make many mistakes.
The latest of which was against Aston Villa, where he palmed a seemingly simple stop into the path of Emiliano Buendia, who slotted home in a 2-0 loss for the Lilywhites. While it hasn't been the only struggle has had this season, Antonio Conte has talked up the influence of his shot-stopper.
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“I think we lose time if we talk about Hugo because his career speaks for itself," The Italian said after the Frenchman's recent World Cup final defeat. "We are talking about one of the best keepers in the world in the past 10 years. We are talking about a top keeper and a top man. I think he will continue to play for many years."
However, it remains to be seen how many of those years will be spent with Spurs, given his struggles and the fact his contract signed last summer only runs until 2024. In light of that, the club are already looking at other potential no. 1s that could fill the role for the long-term.
One of which, according to the Telegraph, is Brentford's David Raya, who will have one-year remaining on his contract by the summer. The Spaniard also counts towards the home-grown quota currently required for the squad registration, freeing up a space for another non-home-grown player elsewhere.
A move in January seems unlikely, with attention focused elsewhere, but the summer could allow for the signing of a brand new first-choice goalkeeper.
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