Tottenham Hotspur have one of Spain’s biggest goalkeeping prospects on their books, but he has plenty of competition if he wants to emulate the Stoke star.
Atletico Madrid’s Lucas Hernandez fights for the ball against Espanyol’s goalkeeper Pau Lopez
Thursday saw the first images of new Tottenham Hotspur signing Pau Lopez involved in training with the North Londoners, following his loan from Espanyol on deadline day.
With Hugo Lloris only just returning to the squad after a hamstring injury, the young Spaniard will be hoping to challenge Michel Vorm for a place as either of the club’s two match day goalkeepers in the upcoming matches, with half an eye on the upcoming League Cup tie with Gillingham in the next few weeks.
Spurs themselves will be heading to the Britannia this weekend to take on Stoke City, a club who have benefitted hugely from gambling on a talented young goalkeeper early on in his career.
Jack Butland arrived from Birmingham City in 2013 having already won his first England cap, but he found himself third choice at the Potters behind Asmir Begovic and veteran Danish stopper Thomas Sorensen. That didn’t stop the teenager though, with Butland taking in a series of loan spells to continue to get regular football under his belt, before finally making a permanent breakthrough last season, following Begovic’s departure to Chelsea.
Stoke City’s Jack Butland in action
Like Lloris is at Spurs, Begovic was very much first choice at the Britannia, but if Lopez, who was called up to the full Spain squad earlier this year after an impressive season in La Liga, reaches his potential he could make things very interesting for Mauricio Pochettino over the next few years.
That’s the hope for player and club at least – that Lopez can make similarly determined progress as someone like Butland, during what is an initial loan spell at the club, with ESPN claiming the switch has a permanent option as part of the agreement with Espanyol.
By taking him on loan to begin with, Pochettino can check in on a player he likely saw as a youngster during his own time in Barcelona, and if the 21-year-old can kick on it is expected that he will be signed permanently and go on to challenge Michel Vorm for the backup jersey at White Hart Lane.
Both of Tottenham’s current first-team goalkeepers featured against Everton on the opening day of the season
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