League One club Luton Town has agreed a fee in principle with Tottenham Hotspur for their highly-rated goalkeeper Josh Keeley.
The 22-year-old spent last season on loan with Leyton Orient, where his impressive performances caught the eye.
Spurs have reportedly been unable to negotiate a new contract with Keeley and are prepared to part ways with him this summer.
Luton Town Set to Sign Spurs Goalkeeper
As reported by football.london’s Alasdair Gold, the Hatters are closing in on the signing of Josh Keeley. A permanent transfer could be concluded imminently, with a framework for the deal established between the two clubs.
Spurs are reportedly set to include a sell-on clause in the deal, highlighting the potential of Keeley to make big money moves in the future.
The Republic of Ireland international is set to meet with Luton Town officials in the coming days to discuss his role at Kenilworth Road.
Luton have prioritised their search for a new number one ever since the departure of Thomas Kaminski to Charlton Athletic, who was the first choice between the posts for two season prior to his exit.
Having suffered back-to-back relegations, Matt Bloomfield is seeking to build a squad capable of revitalising the club and getting them moving back on an upward trajectory.
How did he fare last season?
Keeley was one of the standout goalkeepers in League One last season, playing a major role in Leyton Orient’s run to the play-off final.
He featured 36 times in League One for Richie Wellens’ team last term, conceding just 34 goals.
He also recorded 16 clean sheets in the third tier for the O’s. This impressive return earned him a first call-up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for their friendlies against Luxembourg and Senegal last month.
Undoubtedly, though, Keeley’s headline-grabbing moment came in the FA Cup Second Round against Oldham Athletic. In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Keeley headed home an equaliser to send the tie into extra time.
The goal became even more crucial as Orient ended up reaching the fourth round, where they hosted Manchester City in a memorable tie at Brisbane Road.
Keeley’s commanding and save-filled performance that afternoon earned him plenty of plaudits from Pep Guardiola.
Tottenham Hotspur to Part with Young Goalkeeper
Having already seen veteran goalkeeper Fraser Forster depart at the expiration of his contract, Keeley could be the second shot-stopper to leave North London this summer.
The Europa League winners are preparing for a return to the UEFA Champions League and may be required to rely on their squad depth for the challenges ahead.
The decision to allow Keeley to find a new club is likely to stem from the fact that Spurs are unable to declare him as a homegrown player for their European campaign. Keeley joined the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur back in 2022 from St Patrick’s Athletic in his native Ireland.
Fellow stopper Brandon Austin has also enjoyed loan spells away from Spurs, having been with the club since 2015. Austin’s longer period at the club has given him the homegrown advantage over Keeley regarding a place in the Champions League squad.
The opportunity knocks for the Irishman to secure the regular starting berth at Kenilworth Road. This is likely to alert the attention of his national team manager, Heimir Hallgrímsson, and significantly enhance Keeley’s chances of being named in future Irish camps.