Pletikosa has been a long-term intention for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and he is now close to landing his man. Redknapp wants the 31-year-old to supply cover and contest for Heurelho Gomes and Carlo Cudicini Pletikosa is understood to be in London for talks and a medical and ought to seal his exchange to White Hart Lane in the next 48 hours. Spurs are thought to have settled a season-
Pletikosa, who has played for Hajduk Split and Shakhtar Donetsk, represented his country at the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. He was close to joining Tottenham last summer before suffering aknee damage.
Current first choice keeper Carlo Cudicini was injured in a motorcycle accident last November. Cudicini is playing again but Redknapp, who finished last season with the green Ben Alnwick as his No2 goalkeeper, has determined to bring in the 31-year-old Pletikosa. Tottenham already have three Croatian players in Luka Modric, Vedran Corluka and Niko Kranjcar.
Pletikosa made his Croatia first appearance as a 20-year-old against Denmark in 1999, winning recognition for his reflexes. But uncertainty over the handling of high balls took a heavy toll at the 2000 European under-21 championship in Slovakia, where Croatia ended last in their group after Pletikosa conceded some soft goals.
Pletikosa worked hard on improving the weaknesses in his game and under former Croatia coach Mirko Jozić, he became his Croatia’s first-choice goalkeeper, playing in all three matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals. He was also thought to be Croatia’s first goalkeeper at the UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal, but sustained an injury days before the commencement of the tournament and the first goalkeeper was then Tomislav Butina.
At UEFA Euro 2008, Pletikosa was named Man of the Match in Croatia’s opening win against Austria, in which he made numerous saves to assist his side to hang on to a very thin triumph after the Austrians began to totally control the Croatian outfit after the first penalty goal.
