Hugo Lloris: The One Who Stayed

Tottenham Hotspur announced today that France captain and star goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has put pen to paper on a new five-year contract to stay at the club. Lloris also spoke in no uncertain terms of his commitment to Spurs and of his confidence in new manager Mauricio Pochettino. Despite the cynical (and realistic) possibility that the deal simply represents a way for Daniel Levy to secure a larger transfer fee should Lloris decide to leave, Spurs fans should be thrilled.

There are two reasons for joy: first off, Hugo Lloris on his day is one of the best keepers not only in the Premier League, but in the world. In addition to being a superb shot-stopper, his quickness and aggression in sweeping up behind his defense fits perfectly with the defensive system Pochettino will look to employ with Spurs. His value to the club far outweighs the financial benefit Levy would gain by selling him, so keeping him around for as long as possible can only be a good thing.

The second reason to be excited about Hugo's new deal is more symbolic. By agreeing to stick with the "project" at Tottenham, Lloris has made a bold statement that the club is not a sinking ship, and that last season, while hugely disappointing, was a blip in an otherwise positive trend. Whether his similarly "unsettled" teammates (looking at you Jan) follow suit is uncertain. However, for potential new recruits, Lloris' decision to stay represents a firm endorsement of the work the club has been doing to raise their profile and to make Spurs a perennial Champions League contender. If Michael Dawson leaves this summer, Lloris would also be an excellent choice for captain based on his repeatedly demonstrated level of professionalism and class.

That said, keepers rarely change teams for large transfer fees and should Lloris decide that Spurs' ambitions no longer match his, the club will be able to cash in nicely. Finding a top-ten keeper is hard, but good ones can be had at reasonable prices. The likely net profit could be reinvested in typical Spurs fashion to address other needs in the squad.