Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur have granted long-time goalkeeper Hugo Lloris permission ‘not to travel’ on the club’s pre-season tour of Australia.
This comes amid ongoing efforts on the part of club and player alike to find a new employer for the Frenchman.
Shot-stopper Lloris, of course, has been on the books of Spurs for over a decade now.
Once considered one of Europe’s finest between the posts, however, recent seasons have seen the World Cup winner come under increasing scrutiny.
Rumours pointing towards a potential departure from north London, in turn, had long begun to mount with a view to the summer.
It therefore did not come as much of a surprise when, early last month, Lloris made public his intention to seek out a new adventure:
Big statement from Hugo. “We have reached an important moment, whether it be for the club or me. It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will study what’s possible. I haven’t forgotten i have a year left on my contract, it’s hard to predict what will happen.
— Paul O Keefe (@pokeefe1) June 3, 2023
This left new boss Ange Postecoglou and co. with a decision to make, ahead of Spurs’ departure for a pre-season tour of Australia later this evening.
To bring Lloris along, with a view to the veteran potentially acting as backup for new no.1 Guglielmo Vicario this coming season? Or leave him behind, in the hopes of finding a buyer?
Well, as confirmed by the Lilywhites themselves a short time ago, the latter has been chosen as the path forward.
As part of an official statement regarding the club’s travelling squad for pre-season, Spurs announced:
‘Hugo Lloris has been granted permission not to travel in order to explore prospective transfer opportunities.’
The travelling squad for our pre-season Asia-Pacific Tour has been confirmed 🤝
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 14, 2023
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