Phillips backs Aston Villa to swoop for Gazzaniga after Tottenham update
Kevin Phillips has backed Aston Villa to sign free agent Paulo Gazzaniga as a replacement for Tom Heaton.
The former Villa and Birmingham City striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, believes Dean Smith’s side need to recruit a new goalkeeper to challenge Supporters’ Player of the Season Emiliano Martinez.
Heaton was the Argentine’s deputy for the second half of the 2020/21 season, after recovering from knee ligament damage, but he will leave the club when his contract expires next month to join Manchester United.
Tottenham confirmed the departure of Gazzaniga on Thursday, following the conclusion of his contract at the north London side.
Phillips claims the 29-year-old would fit in well at Villa Park.
“Definitely, that could be a good option for Villa,” he told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs.
“With Gazzaniga and Martinez being of the same nationality they’ll know each other.
“It’s a great move for Heaton. When you get the chance to go to Manchester United, you go.
“It is an area Villa will need to address, and Gazzaniga is a player that I felt did well every time he played for Spurs.”
Gazzaniga made 37 appearances for Spurs after arriving from Southampton in 2017, lining up on the bench for their 2019 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.
However, he failed to make a single appearance for the club last season, and he spent the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at La Liga side Elche, playing eight times.
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