Brad Friedel agreed to join Tottenham on Friday from Aston Villa, extending the career of one of the English Premier League’s most adept and experienced goalkeepers.
The 40—year—old American will provide competition to erratic Brazilian ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes, who has yet to eradicate the errors from his game that have proved so costly for Spurs this season.
Friedel will move to his fourth English club since 1997 for free because his Villa contract expires at the end of the month.
“Brad is a top goalkeeper of real quality who has great experience,” Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said on the club website. “It is good to have three such experienced top goalkeepers at the club in Gomes, Carlo (Cudicini) and now Brad, and it means we have competition for places particularly with the number of games we will hopefully face next year both domestically and in Europe as well.”
Friedel holds the record for consecutive topflight appearances, extending it to 275 matches last season before leaving Villa after three years.
Friedel, who made 82 appearances for the United States, played for the Columbus Crew, Galatasaray and Brondby before moving to England in 1997 to join Liverpool. He spent eight years at Blackburn from 2000.
