Despite playing every minute of Tottenham's 44 matches this season, U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller will have to earn his place next season. Tottenham's Web site confirmed Thursday that the team has agreed to a $2.64 million deal to acquire goalkeeper Paul Robinson from Leeds.
Robinson, 24, has made four appearances for England. Leeds has reported a higher transfer fee.
The news probably comes as a figurative version of the kick in the stomach Keller received from Blackburn striker Andy Cole on Saturday that temporarily knocked the wind out of him.
Keller, 34, joined Spurs in August 2001 after a two-year spell at Spanish club Rayo Vallecano and has been among Tottenham's most consistent performers. If he starts this Saturday at Wolverhampton, he will have started every first-team match in two consecutive seasons.
''It's a fantastic achievement – Kasey is one of those goalkeepers who doesn't miss many training sessions,'' the team's Dutch goalkeeping coach Hans Segers said on the club's Web site before the Blackburn match. ''If you look at the last two seasons and said he'd missed a handful, that's probably too many. He's very consistent and you have to say we've been very lucky. … We've been able to rely on him and I've been pleased with him throughout the season. Obviously he's made a couple of mistakes, every goalkeeper does, but overall it's very pleasing and he's been very good for the club.''
The previous week, Keller was quoted as feeling under-appreciated by coach David Pleat.
''It would just be nice every once in a while for someone to stand up and say, 'Great save.'''
On Wednesday, the club released backup Lars Hirschfeld, a Canadian international who joined Spurs in March 2002 but hasn't seen a minute of first-team play.