Former Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris believes the club missed a major opportunity to build on the progress made under Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs became established Champions League contenders during Pochettino’s five-year spell and challenged near the top of the Premier League. They also reached the 2019 Champions League final, where Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory in Madrid.
However, Lloris feels Tottenham’s development on the pitch moved faster than the club had anticipated. Their financial focus remained on the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when the playing squad required further investment.
The former goalkeeper’s comments come as Spurs face another possible leadership change, with seven players in contention to replace Cristian Romero as captain should the defender leave this summer.
Lloris explains Tottenham investment regret
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand Presents, Lloris said Tottenham had a strong starting side under Pochettino but lacked the depth needed to compete consistently with their major rivals.
The Frenchman pointed to the rapid progress made after Pochettino’s appointment. Spurs finished inside the Premier League’s top four, topped a Champions League group containing Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund and later reached the final of the competition.
Lloris believes the club needed to refresh the squad by signing four or five players once it became clear Tottenham were close to competing for major honours. Instead, Pochettino was dismissed in November 2019 after more than five years in charge.
“I think we missed, probably as a club, an opportunity,” Lloris said.
The 39-year-old added that Spurs struggled to rediscover the same consistency following Pochettino’s departure. Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo, Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou were among the managers unable to deliver sustained Premier League title challenges.
Lloris left Tottenham in 2023 after making more than 400 appearances for the club. Despite competing for several major trophies, he ended his 12-year spell in north London without winning silverware.
