Why Tottenham selling Josh Keeley could hurt Antonin Kinsky in the long-run - Opinion

Tottenham Hotspur have parted ways with goalkeeper Josh Keeley, a decision which could have consequences for Antonin Kinsky over the next 12 months.

Until recently, Tottenham had more goalkeepers than they knew what to do with. However, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman have both left Spurs. Further to this, Josh Keeley has left Tottenham to join Luton Town. In total, only £1m has been earned from the goalkeeper departures, although there is a sell-on clause in the agreement on Keeley.

This leaves Spurs with only three goalkeepers, meaning it is unlikely another one will leave. Initially, it was reported that Thomas Frank could offload Guglielmo Vicario, but these rumours appear to have been shut down.

The Italian is likely to remain first choice, while Antonin Kinsky will feature in domestic cup competitions. The chances of Brandon Austin getting regular game time are very slim, unless his fellow comrades between the sticks pick up injuries.

Antonin Kinsky would have benefitted from a loan move away from Tottenham

At 22 years old, it would be beneficial for Kinsky to be playing regular first-team football, but that is unlikely to be the case this season. He was given his fair share of minutes at Slavia Prague, but his previous employers compete in a league far below the lofty standards of the Premier League.

Currently, Kinksy’s lack of quality at the highest level is evident for all to see. He made a mistake against Reading last Saturday which almost led to a goal and his handling abilities have not looked convincing since he joined Tottenham.

Having said this, the Czechian is good with the ball at his feet and the foundations are there for him to go on to be a top goalkeeper. The call here is not to object to his signing in the first place, but to conclude he is not yet ready to perform at the highest level.

It would be good for Kinsky to go out on loan and start matches, either in the Premier League or for one of the better sides in the other top three leagues in Europe. However, with Tottenham bidding farewell to three goalkeepers, this would be impractical.

Spurs could have kept Josh Keeley

Tottenham were unable to get Keeley to sign a new contract, so his sale is understandable. However, he was contracted to Spurs until 2027. Therefore, keeping him until January or next summer remained an option. Alternatively, Spurs could have offered a new short-term contract to Forster or Whiteman, with both counting as homegrown players.

By doing this, Antonin Kinsky would have been allowed to spend some time playing week-in week-out and working on the rough patches in his game away from Tottenham. If he manages that, he could well challenge Vicario, whose weak aspects are well renowned in the English game.

However, because Spurs have halved their goalkeeping options, there is no chance of Kinsky going anywhere this summer. He will still get a few starts here and there, but the signs suggest he needs more game time at the top level in order to work on the more traditional elements of the goalkeeping arts.

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