Long-serving Hugo Lloris to say farewell to Tottenham

It's not often in this day and age that you find Premier League players spending over a decade at the same club, but veteran French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris falls firmly into that category.

Lloris joined Tottenham Hotspur back in August 2012 and, after 11 years, his time in north London appears to be coming to an end.

He will leave Spurs without a winners’ medal to his name, but he will be remembered by the Tottenham fans for his long service and some great memories along the way.

World Cup winner close to making history

During his time at Spurs, Lloris became a World Cup winner, following his success with France in the 2018 tournament in Russia.

The shot-stopper was also a runner up in the 2022 event in Qatar, as well as being part of the Les Bleus squad that made the final of the 2016 European Championships.

The highlight of his Tottenham career came in the 2018-19 season, when he was a mainstay of the side that reached the final of the Champions League, where they lost out 2-0 to Premier League rivals Liverpool.

He kept clean sheets against Borussia Dortmund in both legs of the last-16 encounter, before being part of the Spurs team that dramatically won their quarter-final and semi-final ties against Manchester City and Ajax respectively.

Lloris has twice finished as a runner-up in the EFL Cup, in 2014-15 and 2020-21, whilst also recording a second-place finish in the Premier League.

The Frenchman was a key figure in a memorable 2016-17 season, when Spurs racked up 86 points - their highest Premier League tally - to finish second to Chelsea.

However, his future, or lack of one, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was sealed last summer as the club recruited Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli.

The 27-year-old Italian has excelled in hist first few months in English football, keeping five clean sheets to date as Ange Postecoglou’s side chase a top-four finish and perhaps even more.

Hugo Lloris - stats and facts

• 447 first-team appearances for Tottenham
• 151 clean sheets for Spurs
• Most capped France international - 145
• Kept a clean sheet on his Spurs debut - 0-0 v Lazio in 2012-13 Europa League
• Kept a clean sheet on Premier League debut - 2-0 v Aston Villa (October 2012)
• Appointed Spurs captain in August 2015
• In 2021-22, recorded personal best for clean sheets in a Premier League season (16)
• Last Tottenham appearance - 6-1 defeat to Newcastle (April 2023)

US move on the cards

Since Postecoglou took over at Spurs, it has seemed as though Lloris’ days have been numbered, with the new manager bringing in Vicario in the summer.

The veteran has not made a first-team appearance this season and, with the January transfer window fast approaching, he seems certain to bid farewell to England and the Premier League.

It looks like Lloris' next move will be to the United States, with the 37-year-old currently in talks to join MLS outfit Los Angeles FC.

Having retired from international football in January, the former Lyon man can fully concentrate on domestic action and a move across the Atlantic can see him extend his career.

Lloris - who is entering the final six months of his Tottenham contract - was understood to be close to joining Lazio last summer.

California is his more likely destination now though, with LAFC looking to build on their MLS Cup success in 2022, with Steve Cherundolo’s men 7/1 to be crowned champions again in 2024.