According to the Daily Star, Spurs have set their sights on Osijek stopper Marko Malenica in a bid to replace World Cup winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the summer.
Lloris been Tottenham’s No.1 between the sticks for the last seven years and has been racked up an impressive 105 clean sheets from 290 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions but the Frenchman has come under the spotlight for a number of high-profile errors this season, most recently against Liverpool at Anfield.
The 32-year-old, who had a big hand in France’s World Cup triumph in Russia last summer, might head for the exit door come the end of the season and Spurs have targeted the little known £1million-rated Marko Malenica to take over the reins from the veteran.
Spurs, though, are not the only club to be credited with an interest in the former Croatian youth international, with the Daily Star claiming that Premier League clubs Watford, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are all keeping tabs on the 25-year-old.
Despite committing a few blunders, Lloris has been backed by manager Mauricio Pochettino to retain his position as the club’s No.1 between the sticks.
However, the Daily Mail claims that Spurs are keen to promote Argentina international Paulo Gazzaniga as the No.1, which is a clear indication that the Lilywhites are planning for the long-term.
The Frenchman has come up with crucial saves quite often but he hasn’t done his reputation any good with those silly errors in high-octane games, while Gazzaniga has shown that he is more than capable of being the No.1.
The former Southampton man took over the gloves earlier in the season when Lloris was out with an injury and impressed with some top-notch performances, which has probably prompted the management to show more confidence in his abilities.
Well, top-six clubs in the Premier League do not usually sign first-team players for £1 million and Malenica’s price tag is bound to raise a few eyebrows amongst the White Hart Lane faithful. However, Spurs’ links with the Croatian does comply with their transfer policy of looking for bargain deals in the market and getting good value for money.
Given that the market exploded with the mega-money transfers of Alisson and Kepa Arrizabalaga last summer, Malenica’s market value looks like a bit of a mockery for a club that is supposed to be challenging for silverware, but he might as well turn out to be a massive bargain for the Lilywhites.
Malenica has done well for Osijek in the Croatian top flight and has represented his nation at all youth levels but a move to the Premier League would be a huge jump for the 25-year-old.
Pochettino knows exactly how to get the best out of the young players and he has done that successfully over the course of his tenure at Spurs, but it would be unrealistic to look at Malenica as the No.1 next season.
He would need time to acclimatise to a highly competitive league, which would largely depend on how Gazzaniga copes with the pressure of taking over as the first-choice between the sticks.
Tottenham should look to cash in on Lloris not only because he has been inconsistent this season but also due to the fact that the Frenchman’s advancing years are likely to impact the amount that the club will be able to recoup. He is already 32 and nearing the final stage of his career so Spurs should certainly look at options to replace him.
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Malenica is a talented shot-stopper who has the potential to make an impression in a top European league in the years to come and it looks like Spurs are set for an impressive bargain deal.