While Heurelho Gomes may have been the first choice goalkeeper at White Hart Lane for several seasons, few people would disagree that the Brazilian’s career at the club is all but over. He has been pushed significantly down the pecking order and following on from this, Andre Villas-Boas has announced that he will try and arrange for the player to leave on loan in the January transfer window.
Gomes joined from PSV Eindhoven in a fee reported to be £7.8m back in 2008. At the time, he arrived with a massive reputation and was widely expected to become a massive hit at Spurs. However, following several high-profile clangers, Gomes came under constant criticism from all quarters and it would be fair to say that he struggled to adapt to English football. Nevertheless, Harry Redknapp persisted with the player, before eventually bringing in Brad Friedel who has made the goalkeeper position his own over the past twelve months.
While Gomes has been understudy to the American since last summer, he was sent further down the pecking order after the summer acquisition of Frenchman Hugo Lloris. This means that Gomes now can’t even make the substitute bench and according to AVB, he will try and do everything possible to provide the player with first team football at another club.
He said, “Gomes has been extremely unlucky. He has picked up different types of injuries and is making a steady return. We have discussed with Gomes the possibility of him [leaving] on loan but because of the injuries we lost the timing of doing it. We also didn’t have an option a player of his dimension deserves. We have put it hold and will reassess it in January.”
As Gomes edges closer to the White Hart Lane exit, AVB still has to deal with other goalkeeper issues as Hugo Lloris and Brad Friedel go head-to-head for the No.1 position at the club.