Tottenham Hotspur set to land Atalanta star Pierluigi Gollini
According to The Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur are set to bring in Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini this summer.
The 26-year-old will join initially on a loan. Spurs will retain an option to make the deal permanent for around £13m. The deal, once completed, could be the start of a new era at the club under the new director of football, Fabio Paratici. The Italian views his 26-year-old countryman as a perfect addition for the present and the future.
The initial deal is set to be a loan for the 2021/22 season with an option to either extend the loan or sign the goalkeeper permanently. Discussions are currently underway regarding a possible obligation to buy if Gollini achieves certain targets during his first season. The Italian shot-stopper will challenge Hugo Lloris for the No. 1 spot as the club beings another rebuild, this time under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Gollini has previous experience of playing in England. He spent two years at the Manchester United youth academy before moving to Aston Villa. He made 20 appearances for the Villans in the Championship, keeping six clean sheets in what was an unremarkable run of games. (h/t Transfermarkt)
He has, to his credit, upped his game since and established himself as a key player for Atalanta. He made 118 appearances for the Italian giants, keeping 31 clean sheets. Capped once by the Italian senior side, he has also attracted attention from Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Hugo Lloris has held the fort for close to a decade but is now ageing. With just 12 months left on his contract, he is set to discuss his future at the club this summer. With a new manager and director of football in charge, this is the right time for us to chart a new course and begin afresh.
While Lloris’s contributions will not be forgotten, his age and fall in form do not make him an ideal candidate for us to start for us in goal on a regular basis. Whether Gollini will be the man to inherit the mantle remains to be seen.
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Gollini is certainly an intriguing player and could prove to be a shrewd buy. He will, however, have to up his game in order to keep abreast with the standards that Lloris has set. Whether he has what it takes to succeed at a club like Tottenham remains to be seen.
