Tottenham Hotspur‘s chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini has claimed that Spurs really believed in goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, who spent the whole of last season on loan at the London club.
The Premier League club had the option to make that deal permanent this summer, but it was Antonio Conte who decided against keeping the shot-stopper around.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper played 10 times for Spurs in all competitions last season as he provided backup for Hugo Lloris and is currently playing for Fiorentina in Italy.
Tottenham appointed Gabbanini as their chief scout just two months ago and although he was not around when Gollini was playing, he seems to have learned a bit about the goalkeeper.
The Tottenham chief scout revealed in an interview with Firenze Viola this week that the Premier League club really believed in Gollini. However, he claimed that a whole year behind Lloris was not easy for the 27-year-old, which is probably why he was not kept on at Spurs.
Gabbanini said: “Pierluigi is a talent who has to find the right situation to give his best. He was with us in London last year, Tottenham believed in him a lot.
“A year behind Lloris was not easy, he has to find concentration.
“I have no doubt, however, that he is one of the strongest goalkeepers in Serie A. Here, you really work on short distances: there is an inch between doing well and doing badly. Just as the shot of concentration more or less distinguishes you from being a normal player or a champion.”