After facing two narrowest of defeats in the pre-season tour at the hands of Juventus and Atletico Madrid, the side will now be travelling to Norway, to face their final game of the tour, i.e., against the Italian giants, Internazionale on 5th of August.
The Lilly-Whites played a great brand of football even in the pre-season fixtures, even without their key members, and therefore, it is safe to say that we might see a same run of form from the team in the upcoming season, which will be kicking off on 13th of August for the side.
Their manager Mauricio Pochettino has been taking the transfer dealings really slow and it is very much understood why. The manager identified the key areas where the side needed the steel and hence, bought Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen.
Now, with Champions League football, it is understood that the team needs new faces and not just for that, they need some experienced lads to take the side to the paramount in the competition. Currently, Spurs are involved in the speculation of Marseille’s 21-year-old Georges-Kévin N’Koudou, which also includes an exchange of Tottenham’s 22-year-old attacker Clinton N’Jie (on loan).
Not many players from the industry have been linked with the club, but very recently, the reports from Sport have stated that the Lilly-Whites made an offer of around €2m to the Spanish side Espanyol for their goalkeeper Pau Lopez, but the club rejected their bid. It is expected that the Lilly-Whites may come back with a new and improved offer, which means that the manager really wants a back up goalkeeper to Hugo Lloris.
It is understood that Tottenham’s second choice goalkeeper Michel Vorm has failed to impress the manager, while Luke McGee hasn’t played a minute in the Premier League, hence, it is safe to say that both do not really have a major role in Pochettino’s script, hence, Lopez’s transfer does make sense.
Giving a brief description of who Pau Lopez is:
The 21-year-old started his footballing career with the Spanish side Espanyol at the age of 12. He then featured in the their B team and Spain’s second tier and after some impressive performances, he was given a new four-year deal and was also promoted to the main squad in 2014.
His playing time with the club was halted due to the impressive form of Kiko Casilla, but as Casilla departed to Real Madrid in the summer of 2015, Lopez became the first-team member. But now, as Espanyol’s new boss Quique Sanchez Flores has signed Roberto Jimenez from Olympiacos, it is expected that Lopez is looking for a move out of the club.
At just 21 years of age, Lopez was a commanding figure for the team and even with the White Hart Lane outfit, he could replicate his form as Pochettino knows the keeper from their time together at Espanyol, and has been impressed by his break through into the first team during the 2015-16.
Talking tactically, the 21-year-old played every single game for his side, but two and was able to keep seven clean sheets. The 8 times keeper of the week in La Liga, Lopez was awarded as the man of the match thrice in the last season, and on the other hand, he also claimed 88% of success in his attempts to save the shot.
What makes him a more interesting prospect for the side is his average of saving the shots, which is actually more than Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris. Lopez averaged 2.36 saves per game, while Lloris managed an average of 1.84 saves per game.
What Tottenham need is a proven figure which both Vorm and McGee aren’t to be honest.
