It was always going to be a struggle for Gautier Lloris to find his own path as the younger brother of Hugo Lloris, but a move to Le Havre has delivered even more than that. It has not only offered a chance to step out of his brother’s shadow but provided something that the centre-back has seemingly searched for his entire career: a home.
Like his more famous brother, Lloris grew up in the OGC Nice academy system where he eventually made the progression into the club’s reserves. However, unlike his brother, Gautier never made the break into the first team outside of a handful of appearances. After eight years spent waiting for his opportunity, the younger Lloris left his hometown club for AJ Auxerre in 2020.
The club were newly demoted to Ligue 2 and it was an opportunity for the defender to establish himself in a brand new environment. Unfortunately, the move did not live up to Lloris’s hopes when he first joined the club, “If I want to take a step forward, I will have to play and I will have to play well.” He managed only 29 appearances over his two-year stay and was sold to Le Havre after Auxerre secured promotion.
Lloris finally makes it as a the top-flight centre-back
This transfer last season was a blessing in disguise for Lloris as it allowed him to become an integral component of Les Ciel et Marine’s Ligue 2 title charge. His efforts at the heart of the defence meant that Le Havre finished the season with the best defence in the league, and would return to the top flight for the first time since 2008 – something made all the sweeter for Lloris when his previous side dropped back down to Ligue 2.
With Le Havre back in Ligue 1, Lloris for the first time in his career has had the opportunity to play consistent top-flight football. He has taken this chance well, and Le Havre at the midpoint of the season sit in 11th place. For a player where opportunities have often been scarce and followed by disappointment, his talent has finally been appreciated. Last October, he signed a two-year extension with the club, signalling that after a long journey in the wilderness, Lloris has eventually found his home.
