With Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris no spring chicken at 36 – indeed, the Frenchman has not long announced his international retirement this evening (read more about that here) – the eyes of the Spurs hierarchy have understandably turned towards finding a long-term successor for Lloris in between the sticks.
Indeed, the Daily Telegraph (subscription required) reported yesterday that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici have grown increasingly fond of Brentford and Spain goalkeeper, David Raya, who has impressed for Brentford since moving to the Gtech Community Stadium from Blackburn Rovers just over three years ago.
Significantly – like Hugo Lloris – 27-year-old Raya has just 18 months remaining on his contract with Thomas Frank’s Bees, and so it is up in the air whether the West London side can convince him to sign fresh terms to ward the predators off from one of their prized assets, or if they opt to cash in on the Spaniard if he and his entourage show no signs of willingness to commit to a new contract.
The report states that, although Spurs are eager to have a long-term solution in goal sorted, given that Lloris’ current deputy Fraser Forster is not getting any younger himself at 34, and doubts arising regarding the readiness of Alfie Whiteman and Brandon Austin to step up in the absence of either veteran, they do not see a goalkeeper as a priority in January just yet. Rather, the Lilywhites will instead keep putting out feelers on Raya and Jordan Pickford in the hope of striking in the summer once other priority positions – such as right wing-back, for instance – are dealt with first.
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