Hugo Lloris reveals why he did not leave Tottenham on deadline day for Nice.
Hugo Lloris, goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur, has stated why he turned down a last-minute move to Nice, leaving the veteran shot-stopper in doubt about his future.
The 36-year-old has been free to quit Spurs all summer and was given permission not to fly to Australia for the club’s pre-season tour so he could “explore prospective transfer opportunities.”
He has been connected with a number of clubs, notably Saudi Pro League sides, and was approached late in the transfer window by Lazio and Newcastle United.
However, both clubs just wanted Lloris as a backup option, whereas the World Cup winner still believes he is talented enough to be first choice, therefore he turned down the offers.
Late Friday night, a return to Nice, where he began his career, became an option after the Ligue 1 club chose to terminate Kasper Schmeichel’s contract.
However, Lloris believes the potential transfer came too late in the day for him to give it considerable thought, and that Marcin Bulka, who has already supplanted Schmeichel, would be awarded the number one spot.
‘I want to clarify up the misunderstanding around the events of the last hours,’ the Frenchman told local newspaper Nice-Matin.
‘I received a call from an agent yesterday [Friday], one hour before the end of the window, who mentioned the prospect of joining OGC Nice.
‘Playing potential and the sporting project, which are far more important than financial considerations in a player’s decision, were not fully discussed.
‘My professional path has demonstrated how much that exchange, of sharing and communal progress, has always shaped my decisions, especially when it comes to returning to the club that trained me.
‘The fans and the club deserve better than a split-second decision based on a phone call with no expectations or a clear sporting project with one hour till the window closes at a time when I wasn’t anticipating it.
‘To be honest, I couldn’t sign without this shared goal, at least with the president and the coach.
‘OGC Nice is and will continue to be a special club for me. It’s my town, my club, and my blood.
‘Today, a goalie [Bulka] is in place. He is unquestionably one of the best at the start of the season. He has a bright future ahead of him.
‘Joining a club to play, build, and perform is one thing; signing without a sporting vision and a direct good impact on the team is another,’ it says.
