Tottenham have confirmed the signing of Joe Hart, as Luke Amos joined Queens Park Rangers on a permanent deal and Oliver Skipp moved to Norwich City on a season-loan.
Why have we signed Hart?
Hart was available on a free transfer after being released by Burnley and will replace Michel Vorm whose contract expired earlier this summer. The 33-year-old will initially be third-choice between the sticks, but he’ll want to challenge Paulo Gazzaniga for a backup role next season.
Jose Mourinho won’t have signed Hart to be left out of the matchday squad, so he may have a chance to play in cup competitions next season. If he can impress in training ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, Hart may upset the applecart. Time will tell.
Why have we let Amos go?
The 23-year-old struggled for playing time at Tottenham and found himself behind Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso in the pecking order. He joined Queens Park Rangers on loan last season and impressed enough for the Hoops to return this summer.
With Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg being signed from Southampton, Amos’ chances of getting minutes at Tottenham next season are slim, so he’s opted to turn the loan move permanent.
It’s the right decision for all parties. Amos needs regular opportunities and he wasn’t going to get that here. QPR got the best from the midfielder last season, so it made sense that he’s returned.
Why have we loaned out Skipp?
The 19-year-old rose through the youth ranks (31 appearances for the U18s, 13 appearances for the U19s and 25 appearances for the U23s) to Tottenham’s first-team in 2018 and has gone on to make 23 appearances in all competitions.
Skipp is rated highly and has a lot of potential, but he was unlikely to feature much next season with Winks, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lo Celso and Hojbjerg standing in his way. A loan move to Norwich will benefit all parties, as he should come back in 2021 as a more experienced player.
Summary
Hart is a good replacement for Vorm for the next two years and won’t break the bank on £27.5k-per-week, as per Mike McGrath of the Telegraph. Amos was surplus to requirements and has found his level at QPR. Skipp has a future at Tottenham but would benefit from regular action elsewhere for the season.
In other news, Tottenham are told how much they’ll need to pay to sign Issa Diop