Antonin Kinsky expected to seek loan move away from Spurs after humiliation

Antonin Kinsky is expected to seek a summer loan move away from Tottenham Hotspur in an effort to rebuild his goalkeeping career.

That could leave Spurs needing to sign two goalkeepers at the end of the season, with Guglielmo Vicario’s future already in doubt as the club plans a squad overhaul.

Kinsky was substituted just 17 minutes into his first Spurs appearance since October after conceding three goals in 15 minutes in the club’s 5-2 defeat by Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.

The 22-year-old was not consoled by interim head coach Igor Tudor as he headed straight down the tunnel, prompting criticism from pundits and ex-players. One former Tottenham employee described Tudor’s reaction as “disgraceful.”

Telegraph Sport understands that Kinsky had hoped to leave Spurs on loan in each of the last two transfer windows in search of regular first-team football.

The Czech was blocked on both occasions, last summer and in January, but the expectation is that Kinsky will seek a loan move again at the end of the season. Spurs are unlikely to stand in his way.

The role of sporting director Johan Lange could face further scrutiny following Kinsky’s Madrid meltdown, amid a feeling that his situation could have been managed better.

Lange was also partly responsible for the decision to hand the interim role to Tudor, who has effectively made Kinsky’s position untenable and potentially upset Vicario by dropping him for such a big game.

Kinsky joined Tottenham in January 2025 for £12.5m from Slavia Prague and the player had hoped to work towards making himself the club’s No 1 by the start of next season. It is believed his career goal was to play for Atlético Madrid’s neighbours Real Madrid.

That plan is now in tatters, with some sources even questioning whether Kinsky will ever be able to play for Spurs again given the magnitude of what happened to him in Madrid and the narrative it will create about him.

A rehabilitation plan is likely to involve Kinsky leaving Spurs on loan at the end of the season and trying to rebuild himself out of the spotlight. But it is a long road back for a goalkeeper, who had been highly rated and counted Chelsea legend Petr Cech among his backers.

Cech last season revealed he had scouted Kinsky for Chelsea when he was technical and performance director and said: “I remember the moment when Antonin Kinsky was still playing for the national team at under-16; a game when we watched him and when we scouted him for our own club [Chelsea].

“You could see that he was strong, with his legs, you could see that he had a good starting position and he was actually helping the team at the back to launch attacks.”

Kinsky’s ambition and desperation to play regularly, either at Tottenham or elsewhere, may have played a part in his Madrid meltdown. Sources have speculated that he could have built up the occasion into something he was unable to cope with once it started to go wrong.

Tottenham players are said to be shocked by what happened to Kinsky on Tuesday night, which was illustrated by João Palhinha and Conor Gallagher, who both started on the substitutes’ bench, running down the tunnel to console him.

While Lange cannot be blamed for Tudor’s decision to select Kinsky for such a big game and his subsequent mistakes, some at Spurs believe that the goalkeeper’s situation at the club could have been handled better.

Having not been allowed to go out on loan last summer, Kinsky played just two games, both in the League Cup, before the January transfer window when he was prevented from leaving again. He was then thrown back into the team by Tudor, having not played since October.

Former Tottenham striker Mido has added to the criticism of the running of the club by posting a message on social media that said: “Whoever appointed Tudor must get the sack cause I’m sure he never watched Juventus under him!! He is one of the worst coaches around! No tactics, no game plan and man to man management 0!! Can’t handle the pressure and can’t deal with the media!! Plz sack him today not tomorrow!! No time for bulls--- anymore.. the club doesn’t deserve this s---!!”

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