Sunderland ‘confident’ of keeping Robin Roefs as Tottenham transfer plan emerges - reports

Sunderland are reportedly “confident” of keeping Robin Roefs this summer despite fresh transfer interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

According to Football Insider, Spurs have added the 23-year-old goalkeeper to their summer shortlist as they assess potential new options between the posts ahead of next season. The report claims Roefs has been earmarked as a strong candidate to become Tottenham’s number one, although Sunderland are expected to make any potential deal difficult.

Roefs has enjoyed an impressive first season at the Stadium of Light since joining from NEC Nijmegen last summer, quickly establishing himself as Régis Le Bris’ first-choice goalkeeper. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Football Insider reporting that Sunderland have fielded interest in recent months, and Tottenham are now the latest Premier League club to join the race.

However, the same report states that Sunderland believe their progress this season, along with the club’s long-term project, could help convince Roefs that Wearside remains the right place for his development. Tottenham’s interest comes amid uncertainty over their own goalkeeping department, with the report claiming Guglielmo Vicario is expected to move on. Roberto De Zerbi’s side are said to be considering several Premier League options, with Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen and Manchester City’s James Trafford also reportedly on their radar.

Football Insider adds that Spurs accept any chance of signing Roefs would be likely to disappear if they are relegated from the Premier League. They boosted their survival hopes with victory at Aston Villa last time out, but European football could also be a factor in their pursuit, with the report suggesting Tottenham may find it difficult to tempt Roefs without it.

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Roefs has made 32 Premier League appearances this season, keeping nine clean sheets, while Football Insider’s statistics show he has a superior save percentage to Vicario this term. The Dutchman has recorded a 70.1 per cent save rate compared to Vicario’s 62.4 per cent, while he has also averaged more saves per 90 minutes. Several other Premier League clubs have been linked with Roefs this season, including Liverpool and Manchester City, with the stopper set to form part of the Netherlands’ squad for the World Cup this summer.

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