Tottenham make Stekelenburg enquiry as Lloris bid stalls

Andre Villas-Boas has moved for the Netherlands goalkeeper after being made aware that Roma are ready to cash in on the 29-year-old

 By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Tottenham have made contact with Roma about signing Maarten Stekelenburg as they refuse to up their bid for Hugo Lloris beyond £12 million, Goal.com can confirm.

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas has targeted the Netherlands No.1 after learning that Roma are ready to cash in on the goalkeeper if their valuation of between £5.5-7m is met.

The Premier League club have grown frustrated in their pursuit of Lloris after being unable to agree a fee with Lyon for the France international.

Spurs, whose offer on the table stands at £12m, have abandoned plans to submit a fresh £13.5m bid for Lloris.

And sources say that Stekelenburg, 29, has now emerged as a serious alternative for Villas-Boas, who wants a more youthful keeper to replace Brad Friedel, who turned 41 in May.

Birmingham keeper and Olympic Team GB member Jack Butland, 19, also has his admirers at White Hart Lane.

New Roma boss Zdenek Zeman is ready to offload Stekelenburg to raise funds to strengthen other areas of his squad. The Czech coach has been told by club chiefs that there will be no more newcomers unless he brings in some money.

Zeman wants a goalkeeper who can build attacks from the back and, as revealed by Goal.com, has made an enquiry for Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

Cesar, who is surplus to requirements at San Siro, is the top goalkeeper on Zeman’s shortlist, followed by Chievo No.1 Stefano Sorrentino.

Stekelenburg had an unconvincing season in 2011-12 after joining Roma from Ajax in the summer of 2011. The Netherlands international not only missed a number of games due to injuries, but he also received two red cards in Serie A.

His agent Rob Jansen was quoted on Thursday as saying that the Dutchman is keen on a move to England.

“Maarten is indeed one of the three goalkeepers on Tottenham's shortlist," Jansen said to Voetbal International.

“He plays for a big club right now and is happy [at Roma]. However, Tottenham are a big club as well, and it has always been a dream for Maarten to play in the Premier League.”

 

 

Source : Goal.com