Tottenham to pursue Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana

Antonio Conte wants Tottenham to sign a new goalkeeper with Ajax’s Andre Onana high on their shortlist, 90min understands.

Current stopper and club captain Hugo Lloris’ contract expires at the end of the 2021/22 season, and while the France international turns 35 next month, he does not want to be sitting on the bench even in the latter stages of his career.

But new Spurs boss Conte has told managing director of football Fabio Paratici that he would like a new goalkeeper regardless, and he has long been an admirer of Ajax’s Onana.

While one of Lloris’ main weaknesses is his distribution – particularly with his feet – Onana has no such qualms and is very capable in playing from the back, which would help in Conte’s system.

The Cameroon international has missed the last nine months of action after being banned by UEFA for testing positive for the forbidden substance, Furosemide. Ajax claimed Onana took his wife’s medicine by mistake and the sentence was reduced by three months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Onana’s deal with the Dutch champions expires in the summer – he is unlikely to sign a new one in Amsterdam – and 90min has learned that Conte is keen to bring him to north London.

Spurs will face competition for his signature, however. Newcastle United hold an interest in Onana, while Conte’s former club Inter remain keen on taking him to Italy.

Inter are in a similar position to Spurs in the goalkeeping department. Current number one Samir Handanovic, who turned 37 in the summer, could leave at the end of this season with his deal too expiring, and the chance to sign a goalkeeper of Onana’s quality on a free transfer is very tempting.

Onana remains infamous among Tottenham fans for his time-wasting antics in Spurs’ Champions League semi-final with Ajax in 2019. He was finally booked just 30 seconds before Lucas Moura scored the winner.