Even the Daily Mail had to be pleasant about Spurs in the wake of our 4-0 win over Liverpool at the weekend and this morning the paper has started a story linking the club to a move for Swiss goal keeper Eldin Jakupovic.
Jakupovic currently plays his football in Greece but after his side Olympiakos Volos were relegated to the lower tiers of national football following match fixing allegations, all of their players have become available on free transfers.
The keeper had trials with Spurs back in 2009 while with Lokomotiv Moscow but after the two clubs failed to agree a fee, he returned to Russia. With developments concerning his current club, his fee has suddenly become far more tempting.
At 26, Jakupovic has one solitary Swiss cap to his name. Shortly after his national debut in 2008, he announced his retirement from international football due to family reasons. He looks a good prospect but whether he is ready to make Tottenham’s number one shirt his own is another matter.
I don’t know anything about this keeper but there seem to be several young options.
I’d like to let Gomes go in January and at the same time sign a young (early to mid 20’s) keeper who can understudy Friedel. It seems to me that half the value of having someone like Friedel is to be a mentor to a younger player, since I’d guess he’ll only have another season or two left at this level.
Brad Friedel is not just an excellent keeper who knows his angles with his eyes closed now, he is also an intelligent, amiable and inspirational man who commands instant respect also he marshalls our defence and talks all through the game. Please sign him up as a future coach now. Men like him have to be retained by the club.