Tottenham closing in on Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the verge of signing Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris according to the Daily Mail.
Despite having Brad Friedel, Heurelho Gomes and Carlo Cudicini to choose from at White Hart Lane new manager Andre Villas-Boas has decided he requires a new number one.
France international Lloris, who captained his country at Euro 2012 last month, is the Portuguese tacticians first choice and is hoping to have him on board before jetting off for their pre-season tour of USA, which kicks off against LA Galaxy on July 24.
Negotiations have been ongoing with the French club telling Spurs officials they want £16million to part with the 25-year-old shot stopper who has expressed a desire to leave the Stade Gerland this summer with Liverpool and Arsenal also monitoring his situation.
However the fee could prove to be a potential stumbling block as chairman Daniel Levy isn’t prepared to sanction the release of funds without balancing the books first.
That could see midfielder Rafael van der Vaart sacrificed to raised the funds for Lloris with Germany side Schalke said to be interested in the Holland international should he become available.
Villas-Boas is also rumoured to be chasing 19-year-old Birmingham City keeper Jack Butland as he continues to reshape his squad inherited from former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp.
Butland was a surprise call-up to Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2012 and was selected by Stuart Pearce to represent Great Britain at the Olympics next month.
However new boss Lee Clark has informed North London club and any other potential suitors that he has no intention of selling the teenage on the cheap following rumours that Southampton had a big-money bid rejected.
Clark said: “If other clubs want my players, I’m cool because it means they’re good. But it will take a crazy transfer fee for Jack to leave this club.”
