The reason I don't want it is that I am too fearful of a < standard > happening, and him doing a Muamba in Spurs colours. No matter what silverware success I may want for Spurs, I could not live with that. < YMMV >
Sounding like we may have won the race to sign Johnstone on a free. Whispers started last night and Ally Gold’s even mentioned we’re favourites. Solid keeper and HG, no brainer of a signing.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin says that he likes wearing clothes that divide opinion Well then, after Everton go down, it sounds like he'd love to sign for us...
Yes, would be a smart signing by Spurs. Would have next season to push Hugo for a starting spot and when Hugo leaves either he will step up to the mantle or we bring in another top keeper next summer.
Yeah I think the latter part there is key. Whilst a new first choice is needed in the near-ish future, it’s not at the top of priorities for this summer to be splashing a considerable amount on as other areas are of more concern. So Johnstone on a free is a win-win for the club, he either provides a solid backup option for a year and then we spend big on a keeper the following summer once Hugo (likely) leaves or he potentially displaces Lloris as the season progresses and we get a new number one for nothing. The keeper market seems a bit thin at the moment too, there isn’t really a true standout option I’d say, we’d all on here likely have a few names in mind but I don’t think there’d be a unanimous option and so not rushing any decision this summer and possibly wasting anything of £30m+ is ideal for the club.
Johnstone is a very astute signing to be backup. I’m still in the camp that thinks that Gollini doesn’t deserve the level of flack he gets but Johnstone is probably at a similar level and is free and HG, both of which are important for us in terms of conserving cash and helping the HG ratio. We’ll have plenty of games next season and he’ll be able to be well evaluated ahead of Hugo’s departure, assuming he sees out his contract in full.
Gollini’s not a bad keeper by any means, being part of Atalanta’s best side in recent years proves that but it just hasn’t really happened for him here, isn’t the first and won’t be the last. Been brilliant behind the scenes though, likely been pivotal in helping the other Serie A lads settle and his loan fee alone will have been worth that. I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnstone was our plan all along though. Sign Gollini on a cheap loan fee for a year and then nab Johnstone on a free instead of the £12m needed to sign Gollini. A little ruthless but also smart from the club and we know Paratici loves a freebie, if I were still a betting man I’d put on money on Johnstone not being the only free transfer we make this summer - assuming we do actually get him.
Rumours from France that Mbappe might now extend at PSG. Big news in terms of summer transfer market movement if that is actually the case
I'd say Jan Oblak is the biggest name out there who could be on the move as he enters the final year of his contract. United and Juve both already linked.
He's been ****ing awful this season, by all accounts. Mysterious change, as his previous form has been amazing.
Unai Simon is someone that could be a viable option for us, we got briefly linked a few weeks back IIRC. A wildcard shout could be Meslier, I’ve been impressed whenever I’ve seen him even though Leeds have leaked goals for fun over the last few months.
Bild have reportedly linked us to RB Leipzig’s 24-year old Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer. Out of contract in 2023. I welcome opinion from anyone who watches Bundesliga. From a bit of analysis I just read and a couple of the obligatory YouTube videos, he looks like Højbjerg but more capable on the ball. Gets across a lot of ground, covers intelligently, good in the tackle, comfortable receiving the ball under pressure, and moves it forward fast. Sounds like the kind of midfielder Conte would enjoy.
Every player is "linked" to us mate, it pushes the price up. Take it all with a pinch of salt, we haven't even got a manager yet to decide what players he want's
I don’t watch Bundesliga much anymore but Wiki says he came through the ranks at Salzburg and their feeder club, Liefering, so chances are he’s a good player. Their production line and scouting department is amongst the best in Europe nowadays, up there with Ajax and Dortmund in my opinion.
Not such a fan of Meslier. Doesn't seem to command his box well at all. Jose Sa has impressed me. Very astute signing at something like £7m.
At 22 he won’t be the finished article but I think he’s got massive potential. Been likened to a young Courtois/ ter Stegen by some outlets. He’s younger than both Austin and Whiteman yet has over 100 appearances between Ligue 1 and the Prem already. I think he could well be Lloris’ heir for country and possibly club too if we took the punt, probably won’t be cheap but I think he’d be worth the investment. There aren’t many keepers his age with his level of experience already. Sa’s been very decent for Wolves. I’d say he’s probably on a similar level to Johnstone though and as the latter’s free and HG he’d make much more sense, whether that’d be as Lloris’ potential replacement or solid competition for Lloris/ new number one.
This Johnstone is almost 30 When’s he ousting Lloris? Is he good enough to? Will need replacing himself in a few more years and I don’t see him removing Lloris whilst Lloris is at the club. I don’t get the interest apart from something totally non football like HG quota.
I don't think he'll ever be good enough to be first choice but he's a very strong option at second choice and as you say helps the HG quota. I'd imagine Hugo will still be first choice for most of next season and we'll take our time scouting a replacement. The Gollini move shows that it really isn't an easy position to get right, but if you get it right you're often set for as long as a decade. There will be other areas of the squad that will take priority this summer over GK and rightly so.
Best case scenario he does oust Lloris next season and we get a new number one for a few years that cost us nothing other than wages plus a likely signing on fee and gives us those years to further scout for a potential long term number one. Worst case scenario he provides a solid option for games Lloris/ new number one is rested for. For me, he’s an absolute no-brainer of a signing, Prem proven and an England international. Very astute business in my opinion providing we do seal the deal. Being HG is an added bonus but even if he wasn’t it’d still be good business. I agree with CK too in that it’s not an easy position to get right, I said just yesterday that I think the keeper market is a bit thin at the moment with relatively limited options available. There’s also the added pressure on the club to be replacing the best keeper we’ve had in about 35 years, arguably longer.
