Paulo Gazzaniga was shocked by joining Tottenham Hotspur, whose manager Mauricio Pochettino hails from the same small town as him.
Paulo Gazzaniga has opened up on the ‘big coincidence’ which has seen him play under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Spurs goalkeeper and Pochettino are from the same town in Argentina – Murphy, which has a population of 3,500 people.
The Tottenham boss signed Gazzaniga from Southampton in 2017, and the 26-year-old reveals that his family back in South America knew about the deal before he did.
Pochettino, who played for Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina, is something of a hometown hero back in Murphy, and Gazzaniga still can’t believe that he’s working under the 47-year-old manager.
He told ESPN: “They called me first because they knew before me. Of course I was very surprised because this never happens. It happens one time in a million so I couldn’t believe it. It was a bit crazy. Mauricio had a relationship with my granddad and especially my dad, because they played against each other with Instituto and Newell’s Old Boys, and my uncle went to school with him when they were children. It was a big coincidence.
“In Murphy he’s very famous because he was the main player that left early. I used to see him on TV but I never had the opportunity to meet him in the town because he left so young.
“[When we first met] he said ‘I know your dad, your uncle, your granddad,’ which I knew. Always from the first moment he was so close [to me]. It made me feel more comfortable, and with big confidence.”
Gazzaniga, who joined the North Londoners for £2.5 million [Transfer League], made his debut over 12 months ago in a Premier League win over Crystal Palace, but that would be his only appearance for Tottenham during the 2017-18 campaign.
But things have looked far more fruitful this season, with Gazzaniga dazzling for Pochettino in five starts across all competitions, resulting in him earning an Argentina debut last month.
He is now firmly ahead of Michel Vorm as Pochettino’s second-choice keeper, but remains behind Hugo Lloris.
Gazzaniga is likely to start at the Emirates on December 19 as Tottenham visit North London rivals Arsenal in a Carabao Cup quarter-final.
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