Tottenham's January Recruit Eyes Shock Loan Move Away from North London
Tottenham Hotspur's keeper Antonin Kinský might depart the club on a temporary deal this summer, despite making a positive early impact following his January arrival.
A serious ankle problem for Guglielmo Vicario prompted Spurs to pursue the promising Czech goalkeeper at the beginning of the winter transfer period, and Kinsky delivered an impressive performance in his debut appearance against Liverpool during the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Nevertheless, the 22-year-old later made mistakes in losses to Arsenal and subsequently Aston Villa in the FA Cup, with Vicario regaining his first-choice position upon his return from injury. Despite this, Kinský demonstrated throughout his ten appearances last campaign why Spurs were keen to secure his services early in the year, and some believe it's only a matter of time before he overtakes Vicario at N17.
Interestingly, the north London outfit may be prepared to allow Vicario's deputy to spend the 2025–26 campaign on loan elsewhere, with L'Equipe stating that Lille are presently in discussions with Spurs. The French top-flight side face the possibility of losing their first-choice keeper, Lucas Chevalier, to Paris Saint-Germain this summer due to questions surrounding Gianluigi Donnarumma's situation.
Therefore, Kinský might have the opportunity to secure consistent playing time that he may not get under Thomas Frank next season.
Nevertheless, many have theorized that the 22-year-old could be more suitable for the new coach than Vicario, who is less comfortable in possession compared to the young Czech keeper, and significantly weaker when trying to collect crosses. Kinský's refined ball-handling abilities should appeal to Frank, who frequently requires his goalkeepers to deliver precise passes to the flanks to overcome opposition pressing.
The Czech international has been named in Spurs' 29-player squad for their preseason tour while others, including 17-year-old Mikey Moore, were excluded so they could explore temporary moves elsewhere.
Should the 22-year-old depart on loan, Brandon Austin would advance to second choice in the pecking order.