According to a recent report by the Daily Star, Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on Osijek FC shot-stopper Marko Malenica as Mauricio Pochettino prepares to let Hugo Lloris leave during the summer transfer period. The same source has also revealed that Spurs are planning to promote Paulo Gazzaniga to No. 1 while they try to recruit Malenica for a fee around £1m to play as a back-up to the Argentine goalie.
Lloris has been quite inconsistent with his performances in goal for the North London outfit this season. So it won’t be a surprise to see Pochettino part ways with the French keeper in this off-season.
However, promoting Gazzaniga to be the undisputed number 1 keeper at White Hart Lane could be a risky move for Spurs as the Argentine is yet to prove his worth at the highest level.
The Recent Rise Of Marko Malenica
Malenica is an unknown prospect who has performed well for the Croatia Under-21 side and is destined to have a promising career in European football. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a solid campaign with Osijek FC thus far after conceding just 35 goals in 34 matches this season while keeping nine clean sheets across all competitions.
Will The Croat Keeper Be A Good Fit At Spurs?
Malenica could turn out to be one of the stars of the future if he can continue with his development in the coming years. Pochettino could be the ideal manager to make the most out of his talents as the Argentine boss has shown in the past that he can get the best out of his young players.
The recent emergence of players such as Oliver Skipp, Harry Winks and Davinson Sanchez in the Tottenham first-team serves as proof that the North London club could be a perfect destination for an aspiring prospect like Malenica.
Is Malenica An Ideal Option For Tottenham?
As long as Gazzaniga can live up to the high expectations of playing in the Premier League consistently next season, Malenica should have enough time to adapt to life at White Hart Lane. However, if the Argentine goalie doesn’t deliver, then there is a concern that an unknown talent like Malenica might struggle in the English top-flight as he is still not ready to play regularly at one of the top European leagues at this moment.
Spurs should look to recruit the Croat keeper as a back-up option but Pochettino needs to be patient with him as throwing him at the deep end too early could turn out to be a disaster for both the player and the club.
