AMSTERDAM — Premier League iron man Brad Friedel has officially agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur on a reported two-year contract when his Aston Villa deal expires at the end of the month.
The 40-year-old Cleveland-area native, who has made a record-smashing 275 consecutive EPL starts, will join a goalkeeper stable that currently includes hot transfer topic Heurelho Gomes and fellow veteran Carlo Cudicini.
"Brad is a top goalkeeper of real quality who has great experience," Spurs manager Harry Redknapp told the club website. "We have competition for places, particularly with the number of games we will hopefully face next year — both domestically and in Europe, as well."
Tottenham will be Friedel's fourth EPL job, but the first in London after stints with Newcastle, Blackburn and Aston Villa. During his 287 games with Rovers, the American raised the 2002 League Cup and was named to the Players' Team of the Season the following spring.
Friedel spurned interest from the likes of former employers Galatasaray and Liverpool to join the North London club.
His Aston Villa departure after 114 matches leaves compatriot Brad Guzan as the club's senior netminder. However, the Villans — who must also replace manager Gérard Houllier — have recently been linked with a handful of name 'keepers in the UK gossip pages.
