Thomas Strakosha has been speaking to Fabrizio Romano about his future, with Newcastle and Fulham looking to bring him to the Premier League.
What’s the story?
Well, both the Magpies and the Cottagers have expressed an interest in signing the 27-year-old, who recently left Lazio after his contract expired.
Strakosha departed the Serie A side as a hero, spending a decade at Lazio where he won the Coppa Italia on two occasions, as well as two Supercoppa Italiana triumphs.
Now, he is “dreaming” of a move to the Premier League.
Speaking to Romano, the Albania international said: “I’m dreaming of the Premier League, since I was a kid.”
Chelsea are also interested in signing Strakosha, as Thomas Tuchel aims to find backup for Edouard Mendy.
In 31 appearances last season, the Athens-born goalkeeper kept 11 clean sheets, while also conceding 36 goals.
Eight of those outings came in the Europa League, so he would arrive in the Premier League with European experience under his belt as well.
As far as free agents go, Strakosha is undoubtedly one of the most attractive on the market.
Newcastle & Fulham must prioritise
It is clear that Eddie Howe and Marco Silva each want new goalkeepers, as they’ve also been credited with an interest in Arsenal shot-stopper Bernd Leno.
Newcastle had made the German a priority target, before The Athletic revealed that Fulham opened talks with the Gunners over a deal.
In our view, the pair will go head-to-head for Leno, and whoever loses the battle will sign Strakosha on a free transfer.
In many ways, it is a win-win scenario for both sides, as the two goalkeepers are both capable of performing to a very high level in between the sticks.
Keep an eye on this situation, as Strakosha could soon realise his dream of playing in the Premier League.
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