Tottenham fans are preparing to wave farewell to Hugo Lloris after their club captain was ruled out for the rest of the season.
After signing from Lyon for a fee of around £9 million in 2012, the keeper has since becoming an iconic figure amongst the Spurs faithful. The 2018 World Cup winner has made 447 appearances in all competitions for the club, and in January signed a new deal which runs until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
But he's also been central to his side's erratic form of late, amid their stuttering bid for a top four finish. And after conceding five goals in the first half in what proved an eventual 6-1 humiliation at Newcastle, the 36-year-old was seemingly hooked at half time by then interim boss Cristian Stellini.
However, the Italian later confirmed that Lloris was replaced by Fraser Forster due to a knee injury. And now Ryan Mason, who has since replaced Stellini as temporary boss, has given a bleak update on his condition.
"Hugo's out for the season, we've had the results back," he told the media, in his press conference on Friday. "Obviously it's disappointing but we kind of feared that initially. But we did some more tests and he won't play again for us this season."
And with this summer representing the final chance for the North London club to command a transfer fee for the 145-cap international, Mason was pressed as to whether Lloris had worn a Spurs shirt for the final time.
However, he refused to be drawn on the matter: "Listen, I can't speak about next season but what I will say is he'll play an important role for us until the end of this one. He's our captain and we need him to be a big part of the group, and hopefully he will be."
Reacting to the news, many Spurs fans immediately assumed his stint with their team was at an end, with @otheranthony tweeting: "Fond farewell to both. Especially Hugo, and all he's done for us." Season ticket holder @JohnHall1985 added: "Hugo Lloris out for the season and it looks like he has played his last game for us. What a sad way for him to end his Spurs career under the current circumstances."
Amid the debacle of St James' Park, it was Lloris who conceded that the squad should publicly apologise to the away fans. Those who travelled to the North East later had their ticket cost refunded by the club.
