In The Money: Tottenham wasting £2.5m+ on Fraser Forster, forced January exit can solve problem
With Hugo Lloris not Ange Postecoglou’s preferred number one at Tottenham, the manager desperately needed a new goalkeeper ahead of the new season.
And to the surprise of many, the relatively unknown Guglielmo Vicario arrived from Empoli for £17.2million [Sky Sports, 27 June].
Neither player nor club have looked back since, with the Italy international doing a superb job between the sticks in North London.
His arrival condemned Fraser Forster to a deputy role once more, with the former Celtic ace previously carrying out that same duty under Lloris.
Forster has been limited to just one appearance in all competitions this season, with the 35-year-old playing in the League Cup defeat to Fulham back in August.
Since then, he has warmed the bench, with the veteran goalkeeper taking up valuable wages that could be spent on more useful players.
According to The Sun (13 January), Forster is on a weekly salary of £66,890 at Tottenham, with an annual salary of £3.48million.
The goalkeeper got plenty of game time last season and certainly earned his money, but that has not been the case this time around, with the club set to spend over £2.5million this season on Forster alone.
With Tottenham out of the League Cup and Vicario continuing to impress as number one, the goalkeeper situation is likely to remain the same until the end of the season.
And that is when Forster’s contract expires [Transfermarkt], with the player set to wind down his current deal and leave North London then.
But with Brandon Austin also an option for deputy goalkeeper, Tottenham can already free up wages as soon as next month by doing their utmost to get rid of Forster in the January transfer window.
Given his age and lack of game time recently, it won’t be easy, but there is a long list of clubs that could do a lot worse than starting with the former Southampton man between the sticks.
In other Tottenham news, Postecoglou has an ideal Harry Kane replacement under his nose, the player could save the club millions.