Tottenham have signed Martin Dubravka on a free transfer — and the move says more about Antonin Kinsky than it does about the 37-year-old Slovak.
Spurs could have chased a marquee goalkeeper this summer. They didn't. Instead, De Zerbi's side turned to an experienced backup who knows the role, spent a season doing it at Manchester United in 2022-23, and will do it again in North London. That's a deliberate signal of trust in Kinsky, who wobbled badly against Atletico Madrid in March before steadying himself through Tottenham's survival fight.
Guglielmo Vicario is expected to leave, which makes Kinsky the undisputed number one. Dubravka gives him a credible understudy for cup competitions rather than a genuine challenger — a smart piece of squad management for a side that's still rebuilding its identity under De Zerbi. He becomes the fourth signing of the summer, joining Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke. The pieces of something are starting to appear at Spurs. Whether they add up to a top-half finish is a different conversation.
Bellamy walks away from Wales
Craig Bellamy is leaving Wales. The 46-year-old is in contract talks with Burnley, the Press Association understands, making his exit from the national job a near-certainty despite being halfway through a four-year deal.
He'd previously shown willingness to stay through Euro 2028. Burnley changed his mind. The Clarets, relegated from the Premier League in May, have pushed hard for their former coach to replace Scott Parker, and it looks like they've got their man.
FAW chief executive Noel Mooney offered measured praise rather than a fight to keep him: "Craig has been fantastic for us in terms of the football we play and the energy we have. In my opinion, Craig will go on to be a world-class coach." That reads less like a retention pitch and more like a farewell speech.
Wales lose a manager who gave their football genuine identity. Burnley get a coach with something to prove at club level. The Championship just got more interesting — Burnley's promotion odds are worth a look the moment this is confirmed.
Elsewhere in the transfer window
- Arsenal and Leicester are in club-to-club contact over 16-year-old winger Jeremy Monga, though no deal has been agreed yet.
- Alex Scott is attracting interest from both Arsenal and Manchester United. The Bournemouth midfielder, 22, made 37 Premier League appearances last season and would cost around £60m — a fee that reflects how quickly his stock has risen.
- Everton have approached West Ham over a deal for Jarrod Bowen, with no formal bid lodged yet. The 29-year-old was part of the Hammers side that was relegated in May, so his future at the club is genuinely in question.
Bowen to Everton would be one of the more eyebrow-raising moves of the summer — a player jumping from one relegated club to another looking for stability. West Ham's asking price will be the real story when it emerges.
