Spurs snap up goalkeeper Gazzaniga from Southampton
LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur signed Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga for a reported £2mil (RM11mil).
Gazzaniga agreed to a five-year contract on Wednesday and will compete with Michel Vorm to fill the role as the main understudy to Tottenham’s firstchoice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The 25-year-old Argentine, who spent last season on loan at Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, started his career at Valencia before moving to England with Gillingham in July 2011.
“I feel amazing and am so happy to start training with the boys,” Gazzaniga said.
“This is an amazing club and the facilities are unbelievable.”
Gazzaniga is Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino’s second signing since the end of last season, following the arrival of Ajax defender Davinson Sanchez for a reported club record £42mil (RM230mil).
Pochettino had previously worked with Gazzaniga during his spell in charge at Southampton.
Gazzaniga, though, knows he will face a battle to force his way into the first-team squad ahead of Tottenham captain Lloris and experienced Dutchman Vorm.
“I can learn a lot from them, because they are world-class goalies,” he said.
“I think Hugo will be a good teacher for me, I like to watch them and try to improve myself and think I am in the right place to do that.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham finalised their signing of Sanchez on Wednesday.
Sanchez’s move to the Premier League club was originally announced last Friday and Tottenham have now rubber-stamped the paperwork after he completed a medical.
“We are delighted to announce that Davinson Sanchez has completed his move to the club subject to receipt of his work permit later this week,” a Tottenham statement read.