London: Hugo Lloris is on a shortlist of goalkeepers that Real Madrid will make approaches for this summer with the La Liga side believing the Tottenham Hotspur captain may be easier to prise away than Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.
Lloris, the France international, signed a new contract in December that runs to 2022, and Spurs are confident that the 30-year-old has no intention of leaving.
But that will not stop Real inquiring about him if Chelsea stand firm over their desire to keep Courtois and convince the Belgian to sign a new deal.
Real want to sign a world-class keeper when their transfer ban expires at the end of the season. But their hopes of getting Courtois have been hit by Chelsea’s superb season and the 24-year-old claiming he is happier than ever at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea will attempt to take advantage of his contentment by offering Courtois a new contract and Real have already lined up alternative targets, with Lloris high on the list with Manchester United’s David de Gea.
There is nothing to suggest Spurs or Lloris would be receptive to an approach from Real but sources in Spain claim the La Liga club think the former Lyon player could be easier to land than Courtois.
Tottenham are aware that a number of their players will be looked at by some of the richest clubs in the world this summer, but chairman Daniel Levy and manager Mauricio Pochettino have worked hard to make sure all their stars are tied down to long-term contracts. Levy and Pochettino,
however, know that qualifying for the Champions League for a second successive season will be key to keeping the vultures at bay. Tottenham signed Lloris for a bargain £8 million (Dh36.3 million) from Lyon in 2012 and Real would have to better the world-record fee for a goalkeeper, the pounds 32.6 million Juventus paid for Gianluigi Buffon, to stand any chance of opening negotiations.
— The Telegraph Group Ltd, London 2017
