Jose Mourinho’s Premier League giants have reportedly contacted Eredivisie champions Ajax to tell them they want to bring Andre Onana to North London.
Tottenham Hotspur target Andre Onana has dropped a cryptic clue that his time at Ajax may be coming to an end, posting a photo of the Johan Cruyff Arena on Instagram accompanied by a caption stating ‘this journey ends’.
Hugo Lloris might have been a loyal servant to Spurs for almost a decade now but there is no room in top level football for sentiment. And it just so happens that, in Jose Mourinho, the North London giants have a coach who cares for little apart from the here and now.
So with Lloris now 33, and with mistakes creeping into his game at an alarming rate, perhaps it is time to start thinking about life after France’s World Cup winning captain.
The Mirror (14 April, page 49) claimed that Ajax are looking for £25 million for Onana – a bargain in today’s market for a goalkeeper with genuine world-class potential.
Tottenham are understood to have informed the Eredivisie giants of their desire to sign a Cameroon international who first caught Mourinho’s eye during Ajax’s run to the Europa League final in 2017.
And, now that the Dutch football season has been brought to a premature conclusion due to the ongoing global health crisis, it remains to be seen whether Onana has represented the Amsterdam giants for the very last time.
“This journey ends with an empty stadium,” the one-time Barcelona youngster wrote. “But full of pride and satisfaction. Thank you for all the love and support.”
Perhaps the most likely solution, if Onana arrives, is for Tottenham to keep hold of Lloris and let long-standing number two Paulo Gazzaniga go instead in search of some regular first-team football.
Lloris, after all, could be a useful mentor for one of the world’s most impressive young shot-stoppers.
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