Can Spurs hold on to Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane? It’s becoming pretty clear that question will be one of this summer’s Big Transfer Sagas™.
Manchester United are said to be sniffing around, with David de Gea’s mooted move to Real Madrid reported to have turned attention at Old Trafford to Tottenham’s French goalkeeper in particular.
Here’s why Spurs should do everything they can to hold on to both players.
- Spurs don’t have the financial firepower of the clubs they need to outperform in order to move up a rung. So they need to hold on to the talent they have, continue to develop new players by showing they will be given opportunities, and look to attract players through showing ambition.
- While it’s hard to turn down big money offers, what happens when the cash is banked? Tottenham’s investment of the megadosh from the transfer of Gareth Bale has not been a success, proving perhaps that it’s not always how much you spend that matters, but what you spend it on.
- Mauricio Pochettino left Southampton partly because he wanted the chance to build a squad without having to sell his best players every summer. If the same happens at Spurs, his commitment to the club could waver.
- Tottenham have suffered from too many transitional seasons. In a successful first season in which the team overachieved to finish fifth, Pochettino has identified a core of players he wants to work with. Spurs need to make the right additions to what they have, rather than embark on another rebuild.
- In the end, if a player wants to go and a big enough offer is made, it’s very hard to hold on to the talent. But Spurs chairman Daniel Levy did block Luka Modric’s move for a year, and refused to sell him to a Premier League rival. Lloris seems the more likely of Tottenham’s two star performers to go, having stated a desire to play regularly in the Champions League and having given Spurs three seasons of service. But selling to the team that finished one place above Spurs effectively concedes defeat before the season has started. So if Lloris does go, it’s more likely to be abroad.
- It’s easy to forget that football is simple entertainment. Kane and Lloris have been bright spots in an often dour period for Spurs fans, and losing them would tip the balance among a supporter base divided over how the club has been run by its current owners. If Spurs are to retain the supporter faith needed to fill the much-talked about new stadium they need to understand the value of what they have, and not just the price.
You can follow Martin Cloake on Twitter at @MartinCloake and find more about his books and writing at www.martincloake.com