Cudicini, Chimbonda move to Tottenham January 27th, 2009
Tottenham signed backup Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini on a free transfer Monday, and Pascal Chimbonda returned to Spurs from Sunderland.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has been looking for a goalkeeper because first-choice Heurelho Gomes has a thigh strain and is in erratic form.
Signed by Gianluca Vialli in 2000, the 35-year-old Cudicini has played under five different managers at Chelsea and was the Blues’ player of the year in 2002. Although the Italian made 210 starts, he lost his place when Chelsea signed Petr Cech in 2004. But he has been a reliable replacement since, usually in cup games.
Cudicini’s father, Fabio, played for AC Milan and won the European Cup title in 1969.
Chimbonda left Spurs after two seasons to join the Black Cats, who were then managed by Roy Keane. He failed to make an impact, however, and Redknapp decided to bring him back to Tottenham.
“I’ve signed him and he’s coming here,” Redknapp said on Monday. “The deal should have been done in the morning but it’s over-run the deadline for him to play against Stoke. It was done 15 minutes too late which was disappointing. Otherwise he would have been available.”