Two more goalkeepers a priority
DUNDALK boss Filippo Giovagnoli is hoping to add two further goalkeepers to his squad before the start of the new campaign following the capture of Albanian Alessio Abibi last week.
The 24-year-old Italy-born player joined the Lilywhites last week as a free agent, having most recently been on the books of Albanian side Kastriot.
Dundalk are close to adding a young American goalkeeper to their ranks - understood to be 19-year-old US underage international Alex Rando - while Giovagnoli confirmed that a more senior keeper was also on the radar to provide competition to Abibi.
Asked about further goalkeeping arrivals, Giovagnoli said: ‘Yes, we are looking with Jim (Magilton) at other profiles.
‘We already have one that is coming from America. This is a goalkeeper that I know, who grew up in the professional academy there. He has another really good profile.
‘He is really young but really good. He is big and good with his feet.
‘We are trying to find the kind of goalkeepers who will fit in with our style of play.
‘We’re going to sign another goalkeeper because we want to have three and then they’re going to fight for the (number one) spot, but Alessio can play without a problem in this league.
‘He is really young, but he already has a lot of experience from playing internationally, in Italy and Albania. He’s a guy at 24 years old who grew up in a professional academy and has already played in three different countries, so he is really mature.’
Giovagnoli revealed that he had personally scouted former Tirana goalkeeper Abibi and has high hopes for him at Dundalk.
‘Alessio is one of the goalkeepers that I was scouting. Then, after a while scouting, he was the one we felt had the characteristics that we were looking for.
‘He’s big, strong, really good in the air and he has already played in teams who like to build up from the back, so he’s good with his feet and comfortable doing that. He is really young and has a really good profile. I think he is going to have a good career,’ said Giovagnoli.