Ange Postecoglou speaks out on decision to include Eric Dier and Hugo Lloris in Tottenham 25-man Premier League squad
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has admitted that both Eric Dier and Hugo Lloris will be involved in his squad this season after they were expected to depart during the summer transfer window.
Speaking in his press conference on Friday [via Football Daily, 15 September], Postecoglou stressed that despite Dier having not been named in any of his five competitive matchday squads to date, he has never been fully out of the first-team picture in North London.
The England international underwent talks with chairman Daniel Levy after being frozen out from the squad, while Lloris had been expected to quit the club after 11 years of service during the close season having made his intentions clear to seek a challenge away from Spurs.
Both players were surprisingly included in the 25-man squad for the new campaign [THFC website, 13 September] and Postecoglou said they will form a part of his squad throughout the season and are now available for selection.
He explained to Football London: “I think it was a fairly fluid situation. We weren’t sure what was going to happen with Hugo. Dier was never out of the squad.
“Hugo and Eric were still with us so we had room to put them on the list and they’re on the list.
“Nothing’s really changed from that perspective. They were training with the first team and they’re training with the first team and available now.”
Dramatic U-turn
Both Dier and Lloris were all set to form a part of Spurs’ marquee departures this summer joining the likes of Harry Kane in seeking pastures new, especially the Frenchman who attracted plenty of interest from clubs in Europe.
However, no move materialised for Lloris and he is now stuck in an awkward situation in North London after many Spurs fans expected him to call time on his career at the club.
After the signing of Guglielmo Vicario during the summer, with the Italian having been signed as the club’s new first-choice goalkeeper, Lloris is now stuck at a career crossroads with him reaching an inevitable decline.
With Spurs not featuring in Europe and playing considerably fewer games over the span of the campaign, it remains to be seen if Lloris will feature for the club again despite him being included in the squad.
The same can’t necessarily be said for Dier with Postecoglou now having limited options in his defensive weaponry following the sales of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga.
After much interest from Saudi Arabia over the summer transfer window, the fact that he still remains a Spurs player indicates that he still sees himself playing among the elite this season but there remains questions as to whether he will fit in seamlessly in the Australian’s new and improved system.
However, the former Celtic boss has been regularly associated with an expansive, progressive, high-octane style that he utilised so impressively during his two years at Parkhead.
The England international hasn’t even proven over the past 365 days that he can fulfil the progressive duties that Postecoglou demands from his centre-backs, ranking only in the 60th percentile for pass completion per 90, among centre-backs within Europe’s top five leagues, and in the 40th percentile for progressive passes per 90 [FBRef].
His suitability may be in question right now, but his presence in and around the Spurs dressing room will be crucial, the same can certainly be said of Lloris even if both their immediate futures are away from Tottenham Hotspur.
In other Tottenham news, Spurs have reached an agreement on personal terms for the permanent signing of one Croatian top talent.