Michael Owen claims £50m player linked to Spurs is just ‘not good enough with his feet’

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly looking for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris.

The France goalkeeper has been Spurs’ number one ever since joining the North London club way back in 2012.

But Lloris turns 35 this year and chairman Daniel Levy is said to be in the market for a long-term successor.

The Daily Mail reported in February that Tottenham would take a look at signing Burnley stopper Nick Pope this summer, with Lancashire Live reporting that he’s worth £50 million to the Clarets.

Being a good shot-stopper doesn’t seem to be enough these days – you also have to be able to play a little bit and distribute the ball well.

And Michael Owen, speaking to Stadium Astro, doesn’t believe that the 28-year-old is good enough as a footballer.

He said, when discussing whether Pope will be England’s number one at Euro 2020: “The problem with Pope is he’s not really good enough with his feet. His feet are a big problem – he’s not good enough with his feet. From a distribution point of view, that’s where he lets himself down.”

Distribution is important but let’s be honest, if you’re brilliant between the sticks, where it truly counts, then you’re still an absolutely fine goalkeeper and Pope certainly does know how to stop goals from being scored.

But the £50 million figure might be a little steep for Tottenham if they’re genuinely interested, particularly if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.