The exit of Hugo Lloris from Tottenham is expected to spark a goalkeeping merry-go-round.
Gavin Bazunu may not have to ready himself for a drop to the Championship after all. Hugo Lloris is heading for the Spurs 'exit' door and he may not be the only goalkeeper changing clubs, this summer.
Over the weekend, The Times reported that Lloris had received a salary offer of £300,000 per week to up sticks, from London, and go join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
Spurs currently have Fraser Forster in goal for them, as Lloris is injured, and they have been recently linked with Liverpool and Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher. However, it now appears as though Bazunu could end up at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, next season.
It has been reported by Football 365 that Spurs are looking to buy Bazunu from relegated Southampton for £15m. While that would only represent a small bump on the £12m the Saints paid Manchester City for the 21-year-old, last summer, it is more than they would get if Bazunu were to be a Championship player, once the 2023/24 season commences.
The big considerations for Bazunu are Spurs currently being without a permanent manager - meaning his signing may not align with the wishes of a new manager - and whether the Londoners see him as a No.1 or just a player to compete for a starting role. Given that he was dropped for Alex McCarthy over the closing weeks of the season, Spurs may see him as a handy goalkeeping option but not a lock to start big games.
The Gavin Bazunu situation was recently discussed by Stephen Hunt and Alan Cawley on House of Football [LISTEN below], with Hunt arguing the Ireland international should have been taken out of the line of fire earlier in the season, as Southampton struggled.
[caption id="attachment_287645" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Hugo Lloris, Gavin Bazunu and David De Gea. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption]
Gavin Bazunu's tough season with Southampton
While he has looked solid as Ireland's No.1, Gavin Bazunu has had some shaky moments with Southampton. He has a poor expected goals to saves ratio - Liverpool's Alisson is the top-rated goalkeeper using this metric - and Jamie Carragher was critical of him, on Monday Night Football.
Caoimhín Kelleher has also been linked with a Tottenham moved, and that may still happen as Brentford look to have found their goalkeeper for next season.
Thomas Frank's side look resigned to losing Spanish goalkeeper David Raya over the summer and are set to activate the £13m release clause on Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken. The Dutch goalkeeper has picked up four international caps since his debut against Denmark in March 2022.
Raya will be in high demand after a fine season for ninth placed Brentford. He ranks highly in that same save expectation list that Alisson tops, and Bazunu scores poorly in, and was in Spain's 2022 World Cup squad. His price is going up by the week, with varying outlets predicting he could be bought for anywhere between £30m and £40m.
Should Raya sign for Spurs, it could nix potential moves for both Ireland goalkeepers, with Brentford now set to get in that highly rated Dutch goalkeeper. Interesting months ahead, especially with Manchester United and Chelsea both in the market for fresh goalkeeping blood.
Hugo Lloris, Gavin Bazunu and David De Gea. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption]
