Tottenham Hotspur are closely monitoring Benfica shot-stopper Anatoliy Trubin ahead of a possible summer swoop, according to A Bola.
Trubin began his career playing for Azovstal-2 Mariupol in 2013 but quickly moved into the Shakhtar Donetsk academy in 2014.
Six years on from making his UEFA Champions League debut in October 2020 for Shakhtar Donetsk in an upsetting 3-2 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, Trubin remarkably led his club to another victory against the 15-time champions, but this time with Benfica.
The 24-year-old made headlines after his header in stoppage time earned the Portuguese giants a 4-2 win over the Los Blancos to seal qualification for the knockout round of the competition.
While his goal may have made waves, Trubin’s goalkeeping heroics have also been exceptional, with the youngster emerging among the best shot-stoppers in Europe.
He began his career with Ukrainian side Shakhtar, where he came through the ranks before going on to make 94 appearances, winning the Ukrainian league twice and the Ukrainian Cup trophies.
Those displays in his native country earned him a move to Benfica in 2023, where he has kept 59 clean sheets, including 13 this season, the fourth most in the recently concluded Primera Liga season.
His performances have not gone unnoticed, with A Bola reporting that Tottenham are closely monitoring Trubin ahead of a possible swoop to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer.
Vicario replacement?
However, a move largely depends on the potential departure of Guglielmo Vicario, who is of keen interest to Italian champions Inter Milan, according to the report.
Should Vicario depart, the Portuguese outlet adds that Trubin has been identified as his potential replacement, as his qualities fit the profile Spurs are looking for to bolster their goalkeeping ranks.
Although the 6ft 6in shotstopper dreams of a move to the Premier League, Benfica have placed an £86m release clause on his deal, as per A Bola, making the deal difficult for Tottenham to attain.
Tottenham narrowly secured Premier League survival after edging past Everton with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Joao Palhinha’s first-half strike.
While the north Londoners can at least take satisfaction from avoiding relegation, there remains a clear understanding that major improvement is required next season across different positions, including the goalkeeping department.
Having recorded a 75.3% save percentage this season, Trubin would undoubtedly be an upgrade on their current options, but whether they match Benfica’s £86m valuation remains to be seen.
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