€20m should do the trick as Tottenham aim to beat two clubs to key signing
Tottenham are one of the leading contenders for the signature of Turkish goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, according to a report.
Spurs are having to consider their options in goal for next season. Captain Hugo Lloris is about to enter the final year of his contract and has been linked with a reunion with Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain. If he leaves, they will need to find a suitable replacement.
Lloris’ gloves will be tough to fill after the service he has given the club. But it could be time for them to move on for a longer-term option.
According to NTV Spor, one option could be Cakir, who has impressed in recent years with Trabzonspor.
Cakir came through the Super Lig side’s youth ranks and has been their first choice since the 2018-19 season. He has grown in the role and has since earned five caps for Turkey.
He has been linked with a move to the Premier League for quite some time. Liverpool are often mentioned as potential suitors, for example.
Now 25 years old, the time may be right for him to take the next step in his career. He has plenty of years ahead of him but will be keen to spend his best ones on as big a stage as possible.
As such, Tottenham could be an ideal destination. The timing seems to suit all parties.
Trabzonspor do not want to let their key man, who is still under contract until 2024, go for a small sum. NTV claim they will demand at least €20m, with a 25 per cent sell-on clause.
The club have promised they will sell Cakir to the highest bidder, so Tottenham will have to fend off competition to get their man. The report also adds that Inter Milan and Lille are keen.
Inter’s first-choice Samir Handanovic is now 36 years old and has a contract expiring in 2022. As for Lille, Mike Maignan is likely to leave this summer as he too only has a year left on his deal.
With all three competitors for Cakir’s signature in a similar boat, it will be interesting to see which one puts the best offer on the table.
Lloris could yet sign new deal
Intriguingly though, there have been reports that Lloris could make a surprise decision by extending his contract with Tottenham.
Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated last month that Tottenham were yet to make a decision regarding the 34-year-old’s future.
French giants PSG and Lloris’ former club Nice are both potential destinations for the veteran stopper.
However, Football Insider claims that Lloris is set to end doubts over his future and remain at the club.
The Frenchman is said to have held crunch talks with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and expressed his willingness to continue at the club.
Lloris could put pen-to-paper on a new contract that will extend his time at the club to beyond a decade and potentially longer.
But Spurs might still be looking for a longer-term solution, especially with back-up option Joe Hart being out of contract in 2022 as well.
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