Spurs keeper says contract talks have to wait

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is willing to put his desire for a new contract on hold i n order to concentrate on a vital run of fixtures.

Lloris, a key performer for Spurs, is keen to remain at White Hart Lane beyond the expiry of his current deal in 2019 but the club are unwilling to pay the reported £100,000 per week he wants.

That has left negotiations at a stalemate and the experienced France international wants to put talks on the backburner and focus on two important games this week, a Champions League clash against Monaco tonight followed by a Premier League trip to Chelsea at the weekend.

“There are times during a season when, as a player, you have to think about yourself and there are times when you have to think about the team. This is one of those times when it is more important to be focused on the team,” he said.

“I don’t think this is the right moment to talk about my contract but I want to repeat that my commitment is to the club and there is no rush.

“I am under contract until 2019 and I enjoy a great relationship with Mauricio Pochettino, Daniel Levy and, of course, the fans, so there is definitely no need for anybody to worry.

“There really is nothing to worry about. I don’t think this is the right moment to talk about my contract. But I want to repeat that my commitment is to the club and there is no rush.

“We will see what will happen. However, at the moment I am focused only on Monaco and the other big matches coming up.”

Islam Slimani