Josh Keeley’s handed a chance to impress new Aussie boss Ange Postecoglou at Spurs

Josh Keeley could have a shot at making an impact at Tottenham Hotspur now that highly-rated Ange Postecoglou has joined the NW17 club as head coach.

Spurs have been underwhelming for years. Yet already the wheels are in motion to end their trophy drought thanks to bringing in the no-nonsense and ambitious Australian Postecoglou on a four-year deal.

Keeley, the 20-year-old promising shotstopper signed from St Patrick's Athletic last year, could prove to be a saviour for a Spurs side that will adopt Postecoglou’s hugely successful attacking flair tactics.

Already goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ position at the club seems doomed. His string of howlers last term has Postecoglou eagerly seeking a suitable replacement, with Brentford’s David Raya firmly on the radar.

Raya is expected to leave the Bees after rejecting two contract deals. Brentford have already signed his replacement Mark Flekken.

But Raya’s £40m price tag has slowed down a potential move for the Spanish no.1, with other elite clubs — like Chelsea and Manchester United — rumoured to be keen.

Veteran Lloris, a regular between the sticks at the North London club since 2012, has drummed up over 400 appearances to keep others at bay. Yet Spurs will want to cash in on the 36-year-old French star, who earns £100,000 a week as skipper, as he only has 12 months remaining on his contract.

Even if he had a longer deal then Lloris’ exit would remain imminent as Postecoglou’s fast-flowing tactics wouldn’t suit his style of play. This leaves the door open for enthusiastic Keeley to stake a claim for the gloves next term.

Although the Aussie’s arrival is a breath of fresh air for Spurs, who narrowly missed out on competing in any of next season’s European competition, top Australian online bookies like bet365 have laid down a surprisingly low price of evens for Postecoglou to remain in charge at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign.

With chairman Daniel Levy well-known to happily wield the axe when things aren’t running smoothly, Postecoglou is at generous 5/1 odds to be given the boot before Christmas Day.

So Postecoglou has to hit the ground running. The Aussie will be deemed a success if he can steer the side into a Champions League berth in this first season, with Spurs currently a 3/1 shot to finish in the top four.

However, fans have long been craving to win honours, and bravely put up with dreary performances in their desperate bid to bag prizes from former head coaches Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.

Spurs’ extra-time 2-1 triumph over Chelsea 2-1 in the 2008 League Cup final was their last domestic silverware, with sportsbooks offering 11/2 for them to scoop a major trophy next term. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Spurs beat Hull City to capture the 2009 Premier League Asia Trophy in Beijing, China.

Keeley, only included in first-team training towards the end of last season after impressing for the U21 outfit, could be exactly the sort of player that makes Spurs more highly competitive. Yet he still has to compete with veteran England international Fraser Forster.

If Postecoglou remains on the lookout, determined to bring in an experienced keeper that will suit his tactics, then Keeley could be the perfect player to fill the gap because he’s young and won’t feel pressured to adapt.

Wily Levy would be thrilled if Republic of Ireland U21 ace Keeley could fill Lloris’ boots, which would save big bucks on transfer fees and a high salary as Keeley currently earns just £910 a week.

Conte brought in Keeley, who impressed by ably dealing with set pieces and being quick off his line to deal with any danger. However, the Italian was never a fan of testing youth players on the big stage, which constantly frustrated Levy and the Club Academy.

Yet Postecoglou needs more skills from his first-choice keeper. His high pressing modern style requires high-quality distribution on the ball, which Keeley possesses in droves and proved during two EFL Trophy appearances last term.

With the captain almost gone and no definite successor lined up, Keeley could well become the potential heir to stalwart Lloris and be a commanding figure at Spurs for many years to come.