‘If they want to win anything big’: Carragher says senior Tottenham player needs to be sold

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Jamie Carragher says if Tottenham Hotspur ‘want to win anything big’, then they need to part ways with their senior goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris.

Signed in 2012 when a certain Andre Villas-Boas was in the dugout, the 35-year-old is now the longest-serving player at Spurs, but Carragher feels he is a ‘good’ keeper, but ‘not a great one’.

In recent weeks, he has come under fire for some of his performances, most notably the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League and his failure to stop Marcus Edwards’s long-range goal for Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League – that moment was criticised by Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel. 

What doesn’t help Lloris’ cause is that the club are seemingly fishing for his replacement in the transfer market – Atletico Madrid shot-stopper, Jan Oblak, has been mooted as a possible option. 

With two years left on Lloris’ deal, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this is the final contract he will have because, whilst he can stay at the club as a back-up option, a new long-term number one is needed.

That was touched upon by former Liverpool defender Carragher, who made it clear to Spurs that they ’need to change their keeper’, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (01/11/22 at 7:55 pm).

“For me, Tottenham defensively, there are individual players that are not good enough,” said Carragher. “Emerson Royal is one of those.

“Also, for me, Hugo Lloris, a World Cup winner. I am not sure he is the guy to take Tottenham to the heights that they want to.

“For me, a top goalkeeper saves that (Edwards’s goal for Sporting). Hugo Lloris is a good goalkeeper, but not a great one. 

I think, if Tottenham want to win anything big, then they need to change their keeper.”

ALWAYS A CLOUD OVER LLORIS

The France international could always point towards his World Cup winner’s medal when people are critical of him. 

But he can’t hide away from the fact that, throughout his career, he has always had these iffy moments. 

Pre-pandemic, he went through a bad run, even injuring himself whilst making an error against Brighton, Mauricio Pochettino was sacked and then Jose Mourinho walked through the door.

Once again, under Mourinho, he had his moments, and whilst the Nuno Espirito Santo spell was one to forget for all involved, he is now at it again under Antonio Conte.