Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace are set to battle it out for the services of Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Etienne Green.
According to a report from ButFootballClub, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace are among the clubs closely monitoring the situation of Etienne Green. Both the Premier League clubs are in the market for young English goalkeepers, with the Saint-Etienne starlet emerging as one of the potential options.
A native of Colchester, Green has been a part of the Saint-Etienne setup since 2010. He made his big breakthrough in 2021, emerging as the first-choice goalkeeper during the backend of the 2020/21 campaign. He enjoyed an even better start to the new season, becoming one of the most consistent performers at the club.
However, after a promising start, Green’s development has dwindled after a minor but untimely elbow injury. It came at a time when the youngster’s early season form was dissipating, with the goalkeeper looking much less decisive in his actions in between the sticks. Such lack of form has now paved the way for Paul Bernardoni to become the first-choice ‘keeper for Saint-Etienne.
The 21-year-old’s disappointing patch, though, has not discouraged his suitors from home, with both Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace closely keeping tabs on the Englishman.
Spurs, for one, are desperately looking for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris. The ageing Frenchman’s contract expires at the end of the season, with Conte keen on adding competition for Pierluigi Gollini. In an attempt to shore up the goalkeeping department, the Lilywhites have been recently linked with a move for Alexander Nubel, among many other talents ‘keepers across Europe.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are soon set for life without their reliable shot-stopper Vicente Guaita. The Eagles goalkeeper is 35 years old and will be entering the final year of his contract in the summer. Jack Butland has never really inspired confidence when given rare opportunities, eliciting the need for a new goalkeeper at Selhurst Park in the near future.
Someone like Green, to that end, could emerge as an ideal alternative for both these clubs, as he has already shown the ability to perform at the highest level. However, the Englishman’s dip in form might be a concerning factor, especially given the number of talented goalkeepers available in the market next season.
Hence, a lot could depend on how he fares during the remainder of the campaign, with Green hoping to regain his place in between the sticks at Saint-Etienne.