Tottenham Hotspur have announced that goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga has joined La Liga side Elche on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Gazzaniga is yet to play any competitive minutes for Tottenham this season.
Paulo Gazzaniga Joins Elche on Loan
A Promising 2019/2020 Season
Gazzaniga joined Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2017 signing a five-year contract. Signed by fellow Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino, who had previously worked with Gazzaniga at Southampton, his role was initially as the third choice ‘keeper behind Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm.
Gazzaniga soon dislodged Vorm as Tottenham’s reserve keeper and made his first appearance for The Lilywhites in a 1-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace later that season.
It was during the 2019/2020 season that Gazzaniga experienced his most successful season to date. He made 25 appearances across the Premier League and cup competitions, filling in admirably for Lloris, who missed several months of action due to a dislocated elbow.
Thanks to his increased playing time and good performances, Gazzaniga earned his first international cap in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Mexico.
The Argentine International Has Struggled for Game Time
Gazzaniga’s Tottenham career was put in some doubt during the elongated summer 2020 transfer window, when current Spurs boss Jose Mourinho opted to bring in former England ‘keeper Joe Hart on a two-year deal.
Hart quickly established himself as the primary back up to Lloris, relegating Gazzaniga to be the third-choice keeper.
Gazzaniga was dealt a further blow when Mourinho opted to leave him out of his 25-man Europa League squad list. Speaking to Football.London on Gazzaniga’s omission from his Europa League squad Mourinho stated: “It’s very difficult to leave a player out. It stops the player fighting for something he wants and that is always very, very hard.
“The thing is in January you can change, so if you have a different view you can change.
“The Gazzaniga situation, with Hugo and Joe we believe that for the next couple of months we can do it with an academy goalkeeper, with a young English kid.”
It appears that the writing has been on the wall for Gazzaniga sometime and it seems that his Tottenham playing days are well and truly numbered. Gazzaniga joins an Elche side that currently sit 19th in La Liga.
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