Manchester City pip Spurs to signing of teenage Irish keeper

Cast your mind back, gentle readers, to early August when we were still in the throes of the summer transfer window speculation. We had written that Spurs had placed a bid for a very promising Irish goalkeeper by name of Gavin Bazunu, who would potentially join Spurs as soon as he graduated from school.

Welp, as is the case so often with regards to financial matters, Manchester City ruins everything. The Irish Independent are reporting today that City have agreed terms with Bazunu and his club Shamrock Rovers in a deal worth £420,000. That may not seem like a lot of money in footballing terms, but keep in mind that Bazunu is 16 years old — this is actually a record transfer fee for a non-professional player in Ireland. That’s more than double the bid that Spurs reportedly made back in early August for his services.

I know, most of you are readying the Alan-Partridge-shrug-dot-gif for the comments, and fine, I get it. But Spurs are still a club that is in a position where it is best served by developing from the academy as much as possible, and Bazunu sure looks like a solid talent. He’s back on the bench now but had a four-game start between the sticks for Rovers, a stretch in which he didn’t concede a single goal. That’s pretty good for a teenage keeper at any level, especially in a top level league (even if it is the League of Ireland).

The Independent suggests that Bazunu will likely head out on loan for a while before eventually becoming City’s third choice keeper, a position they hold for homegrown talent.

And just like that, our dream of a future Tottenham lineup that starts GAZINGA with BAZUNU on the bench comes crashing back to earth. Alas. On to other targets!