90min

Tottenham Renew Interest in Highly-Rated Lille Goalkeeper Mike Maignan

By Charlie Stewart

The Lille stopper could be on his way to North London this summer
The Lille stopper could be on his way to North London this summer / Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
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Tottenham Hotspur have renewed their interest in Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan, as they look for a long-term replacement for captain Hugo Lloris.

Maignan has made 132 appearances for Lille since his 2015 arrival, establishing himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper during the 2017/18 season - when he ousted Nigerian stopper Vincent Enyeama from the side.

As Spurs look for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris, Maignan could be brought to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
As Spurs look for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris, Maignan could be brought to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium / Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images

But his time in his homeland could be limited, with French publication Le10 Sport resurfacing links between the former PSG youth product and Tottenham. The report claims that he could now be available for as little as £16m; a figure that has undoubtedly been reduced because of the impact on club finances imposed by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Maignan, who has been called up to the French national team, enjoyed an impressive 2019/20 season for Les Dogues, conceding just 27 goals in 28 league games. That's a tally that was bettered only by Paris Saint-Germain, Stade Rennais, and Stade de Reims, with his performances helping Lille finish fourth in the curtailed Ligue 1 season.

Current Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris, who turned 33 in December, still has two years remaining on his contract, but the World Cup winning captain has missed large parts of the season following a nasty elbow injury suffered in the 3-0 defeat to Brighton back in October.

Spurs may be looking to replace World Cup winner Lloris
Spurs may be looking to replace World Cup winner Lloris / Michael Regan/Getty Images

Paulo Gazzaniga deputised for Lloris during that time, but it's felt that an upgrade would be required to replace the former Lyon goalkeeper on a permanent basis.

Jose Mourinho's assistant Joao Sacramento could play a role in coaxing Maignan to north London, as he previously worked with the goalkeeper for two years - between 2017 and 2019 - at Lille.

But signing Maignan won't be straight forward for Tottenham, amid strong competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea. The Blues are also taking an interest in Lille's number one, as current incumbent Kepa Arrizabalaga's woes continue.

Mourinho's assistant Joao Sacramento could be instrumental to the capture of the Lille goalkeeper, having worked with him previously
Mourinho's assistant Joao Sacramento could be instrumental to the capture of the Lille goalkeeper, having worked with him previously / Michael Regan/Getty Images

The Spaniard became Chelsea's record signing in the summer of 2018, but he's failed to live up to his £72m price tag - making a number of errors, and generally looking unsure of himself in goal.

Arrizabalaga was temporarily dropped for Argentine veteran Willy Caballero in February, and he's been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer. Alphonse Areola, Real Madrid's current number two, is another name in the frame.