tottenham Suddenly a real goaltender situation could develop around Anatoly Trubin.

which seemed interesting at first Set of comments from a former Roberto De Zerbi player The move to Portugal has rapidly developed into something more solid, with local reports now placing the Benfica goalkeeper firmly on Spurs’ radar.

portuguese outlet to ball State Tottenham are interested in the 24-year-old as the club begin planning for next season after regaining Premier League status.

The report claims Spurs view Trubin as one of their priority profiles for the position, although any move will likely depend on Guglielmo Vicario leaving first.

Inter Milan reportedly have a personal agreement with the Italian The Portuguese described disappointing performances this season, with Vicario even losing his starting place at the end of the campaign.

This has pushed Tottenham into the market for a long-term solution, and Trubin now appears to be one of the names under consideration.

Why Tottenham might like the profile

According to Portuguese reports, Tottenham value Trubin’s age, ability and technical margin for development.

At 24, he already combines top-level European experience with a profile suited to modern positional football. He arrived at Benfica from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for €10m (£8.4m), plus €1m (£840k) in bonuses, and is now tied to the Portuguese side until 2028.

His release clause is €100 million (£84 million), although Benfica are reportedly open to negotiations under the right circumstances.

The numbers behind their season are also strong.

In Liga Portugal, Trubin scored only 20 goals in 32 matches and kept 13 clean sheets. Benfica allows a goal every 144 minutes he is on net, while the goals he concedes per 90 minutes are only 0.63.

His shot blocking stats are equally impressive. Trubin saved 74 of the 98 shots he faced, giving him a save percentage of 75.51%.

In all competitions, he played 50 matches this season, including 14 Champions League matches.

Nothing suggests a transfer is imminent. However, the overall picture now seems much more real than simple praise between player and coach.

Tottenham are looking at goalkeepers. Trubin wants the Premier League one day. And few players have spoken about De Zerbi with as much enthusiasm as the Benfica man did this week.

crystal Palace Goalkeeper Walter Benítez has spent much of the last year surrounded by transfer uncertainty. Argentina’s latest comments suggest another potential move is already on the horizon.

Despite eventually moving to the Premier League with Palace, his condition never fully recovered due to limited continuity in England.

Now, back home, Boca Juniors are openly discussing the possibility of targeting him in the next market.

Not first choice in Argentina

These comments came from the journalist marcelo gonzalez During an appearance on the Argentinian program Directo al Hueso.

According to Gonzalez, Boca is still waiting to see how young player Leandro Brey develops between now and the middle of the year. However, the club is already planning the possibility of entering the market for a senior goalkeeper.

“Boca is still waiting for Bray and how he performs between now and the middle of the year. That has not changed. But Boca will definitely be looking for a goalkeeper in the next transfer window.” He said.

“They probably won’t look for a backup goalkeeper – they’ll aim as high as possible.”

Geronimo Rulli of Olympique Marseille was initially discussed internally. However, Gonzalez explained that Boca quickly realized that the operation would be extremely difficult financially.

“The first name that came up was Ruli. When I asked about him specifically, they told me: ‘Ruli costs a lot of money, we don’t think it’s possible’,” He said.

“Now they have to look to the Premier League, where Walter Benitez is playing.”

Brief description of Benitez

Gonzalez and the programme’s panel then spent time discussing the Palace goalkeeper’s path through European football, including his years at PSV and earlier stint with OGC Nice.

The journalist also acknowledged that Benítez has not fully established himself since arriving at Palace in the middle of last season.

“He arrived at Crystal Palace in the middle of last season and today he doesn’t have much consistency. Although he has played a few matches, it’s not like he has never played.”

Interestingly, Gonzalez himself gave a very balanced assessment of the goalkeeper.

“His performances may not have been huge, but obviously if he has had such consistency for so long in European football, there is a reason for that.”

Of course, Walter Benitez’s name has come up repeatedly in transfer discussions over the past year. During his last months in the Netherlands, Several clubs inquired about his situation As uncertainty about his future increased.

The move to the Premier League eventually came, yet his medium-term role still seems a little unclear due to a lack of regular minutes. This naturally creates space for domestic clubs to start paying attention. In fact, river bank Kept him on my radar last year.

But at 33, he fits Boca Juniors’ preference for proven personalities in key positions.

what happens next

There is no indication yet that Crystal Palace are actively attempting to move Benitez this summer. However, if the goalkeeper continues to struggle for regular consistency in the Premier League, Boca’s interest could be worth watching.

For now, this looks like the early stages of internal discussions in Argentina rather than advanced talks.

Still, Benitez’s future has felt uncertain for quite some time – and Boca are now openly looking in his direction.

The Buffalo Sabers weren’t about to fool the Boston Bruins twice.

The Sabers stunned the Bruins with four third period goals to steal Game 1 of the series between the Atlantic Division foes.

However, Boston got its revenge in Game 2, scoring three goals in the middle frame, and another quick goal early in the third on Tuesday night, resulting in a 4–2 Bruins victory that tied the series with Buffalo.

Sabers goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen blamed himself.

“It’s my fault,” Luukkonen said. “There is no way around it.”

Trailing 1-0 on the backend of the second period, the Bruins’ Morgan Geikie delivered a backhanded clear lob from center ice to the Sabres’ zone. A favorable layup went Boston’s way, Luukkonen calmly dodged it to give the Bruins a 2–0 lead.

That’s when the game started to spiral for the Sabres.

Tage Thompson took an interference penalty shortly thereafter, leading to Pavel Zacha’s first goal of the series on the power play and a 3–0 lead for Boston.

“It’s a bad bounce, but there’s no way to avoid it. It can’t go in,” Luukkonen said. “I kind of read a bad read about it, but that’s about it. I was trying to get to it before it flipped, but when you start questioning yourself and doing things like that, you get bad bounces. It’s unfortunate, but you’ve got to play through it.”

Well, Luukkonen missed only 16 seconds of the third period, allowing Viktor Arvidsson to score his second goal of the night to make the game 4–0. Sabers head coach Lindy Ruff immediately pulled him for Alex Lyons.

And as Luukkonen said, he clearly questioned himself.

Ruff turned to Alex Lyons for the remainder of the third period and suddenly Buffalo’s confidence was restored.

The Lyon side made his job easy as he only saw seven shots and made seven saves.

That’s because Buffalo played most of the final frame in the offensive zone, outscoring Jeremy Swayman on 20 shots in the third period and scoring twice on the sticks of Bowen Byram and Peyton Krebs.

In fact, Ruff even said that Game 3 could go to Lyon instead of Luukkonen.

“I think if you look at the year and the way it unfolded and how successful we were when we were rotating goaltenders, and then Alex [Lyon] Got injured, so he missed a few games, but just felt there might be a chance we would need him,” Ruff said. “Could play the next game, but just give him a period of playing time, because he hasn’t played in a while.”

This is where inexperience could hurt them for the Sabres.

Buffalo began the 2025–26 season quite inconsistently, but proceeded to win the Atlantic Division through December for the rest of the season.

However, this is the first time in 14 seasons that the Sabers have been back to the playoffs. Most of the roster, including Luukkonen, had never held the position before.

Luukkonen and Lyon split the load for the surging Sabers this season. However, it is ideal to hopefully make a run with a goaltender in the postseason

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

nottingham forest Heading into an important summer, and the John Victor situation is quietly becoming one to watch.

The Brazilian goalkeeper has not got many chances this season. Before suffering a knee injury that has kept him out of contention since the beginning of January, he has played just five Premier League matches with 438 minutes on the field.

according to that time footystatsJohn Victor has conceded 1.64 goals per 90 minutes and kept one clean sheet, giving them a 20% clean sheet rate. It’s not a huge sample, but it shows how difficult it has been for him to create any rhythm.

It’s also worth remembering how he arrived. Nottingham Forest sign John Victor After a month long saga This included John Textor and West Ham United, so there was real competition for them at the time.

That’s why this next window seems important. With limited minutes so far and a nagging injury, it may be a matter of whether he remains part of Forest’s plans or begins to look elsewhere.

according to espn brazilCruzeiro have made an initial move to explore a deal for John Victor. It is still very early, and the interactions are being described as “embryonic”.

Keep the key to Nottingham Forest

John Victor is in no rush to return to Brazil. The report adds that he wants to wait until he is fit and see what Nottingham Forest are planning to do before making any decisions.

His priority is to stay in Europe. Furthermore, he still has ambitions to make the Brazilian team, so it makes sense to remain in a competitive environment.

This brings the focus back to one. If they see him as part of their plans, it probably doesn’t go very far. But given how little he has played, it’s fair to wonder what exactly his role will be next season.

Cruzeiro, meanwhile, has a clear reason for the move. Their first-choice goalkeeper, Cassio, suffered a serious knee injury in March and is not expected to return until 2027. His replacement, Matheus Cunha, has stepped in but hasn’t really convinced.

A familiar face is also included in this. Cruzeiro manager Artur Jorge wants John Victor back after working with him at Botafogo, where they won the Copa Libertadores in 2024.

what happens next

Now, this is not a complete conversation. Cruzeiro is just testing the waters.

Still, situations like this can escalate quickly, especially when a player is not getting regular minutes. If Nottingham Forest does not provide a clear route, more interest may arise.

For now, John Victor is waiting. And Forrest will soon have to decide what they really want to do with him.

Mile Swiller has rapidly emerged as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A, and Newcastle United’s transfer interest in the ex-Benfica player is now being pursued.

earlier this year, sports witness Tottenham’s interest in the 26-year-old player, who was seen as a replacement for Guglielmo Vicario, was covered.

At the time, Roma were believed to want €70 million to sell Swiller, whose value has increased since his arrival in 2022. His growth also attracted scouts from Manchester United and Chelsea, who were impressed.

gazzetta dello sport Have taken a closer look at Swiller’s transfer future, which could potentially be at Newcastle United.

Newcastle United may get transfer exemption

The newspaper has made it clear that AS Roma need to sell by June 30 due to financial fair play concerns. Manu Kone, Wesley and Ivan Ndika are in the running to go, but there is belief that Swiller could also go.

The Serbia international is valued the most compared to others and could witness an Alisson-style exit from Rome.

Newcastle United is one of the clubs monitoring the transfer situation. Chelsea are also interested, with Swiller on the radar of several other international clubs.

Roma signed him for free in 2022. This means that their move out will be reduced to a huge capital gain and will go a long way in alleviating their financial problems over the summer.

They need ‘at least €50m’ to let the player leave, even if they are willing to charge a higher fee. Alisson joined Liverpool for more than €70 million, but it is a net profit that they will accept less this time.

The Giallorossi have already drawn up replacement plans, as Guglielmo Vicario and Marco Carnesecchi are on their shortlist. Both will cost less than €50m.

Swirl can provide stability between the sticks

This season, Newcastle United’s goalkeeping position has seen some instability. Nick Pope has not started in the last few games, with Aaron Ramsdale trusted ahead of him.

Someone like Swiller could prove to be a better fit than this pair. Ever since Daniele De Rossi began managing Roma, he has been playing regularly and making his mark as a courageous shot-stopper. Even on the ball, Swiller has seen improvement under Gian Piero Gasperini.

He’s even younger than Pope and Ramsdale and, as things stand, has a very bright future. So if given the opportunity, Newcastle United should pursue a transfer for Swiller.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will be out for several weeks during the international break with an injury.

According to Gianluca Di MarzioVicario has been diagnosed with a hernia which will now require surgery in the coming days. This has ruled him out of Italy’s March international break And potentially ending his season early.

Vicario reportedly felt the problem after Tottenham’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid. Further investigation confirmed the need for operation.

The procedure is scheduled for Monday, after which the Italian faces several weeks of rest as he aims to return to full fitness ahead of a potential World Cup.

sportmediaset Report a problem inguinal hernia.

Tottenham’s crisis deepens

For Igor Tudor, the timing couldn’t be worse. Tottenham are already battling an injury-laden list to avoid slipping into the Championship.

They now face the prospect of finishing the Premier League without their number one goalkeeper.

The timeline of Guglielmo Vicario’s recovery remains uncertain, but he will be ruled out for a long period of time which will see him miss important matches. That includes a relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest this weekend.

battle of accusations

The Tudors will likely turn to Antonin Kinski, despite the goalkeeper’s horror Champions League debut against Atletico Madrid last week. Brandon Austin is currently the third choice option at Spurs.

Tottenham will also face Wolves on 25th^th April and leeds on 9th^th Two other clashes in May saw teams threatened with relegation. The question now is whether Vicario can return in time for them.

His absence has forced a reshuffle for Italy too. Gennaro Gattuso has already brought in Alex Meret as a replacement for the Tottenham player.

Losing him isn’t as big a blow as it would be for Spurs, but it is a big moment that could shape both Tottenham’s survival battle during the international break and Italy’s preparations for the World Cup play-offs.

🇫🇷 Robin Riser | ‘Not hiding my intentions’
➡️Tottenham Hotspur made a solid approach
➡️Newcastle United are also interested https://t.co/dIMjmfnX2J #thfc #nufc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 20 March 2026

Newcastle United are accelerating plans to secure a new long-term goalkeeper ahead of a crucial summer transfer window.

According to Sacha Tavolieri, speaking through the sky, Newcastle have made solid progress in their pursuit of RC Lens goalkeeper Robin Riser.

Newcastle have now placed the 21-year-old firmly on their shortlist after months of extensive scouting work.

Internally, the club’s recruitment department has fully approved Riser’s profile. They see him as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in Europe.

Why has Robin Riser convinced Newcastle’s recruitment team?

His appeal is clear. Standing at a height of 1.93 metres, Riser provides the physical presence that Premier League clubs demand, with strong possession and aerial dominance in his own area.

Newcastle’s coaching staff have also been impressed by his calm, confident footwork, a key requirement in modern possession-based systems.

Talks begin as Lens considers sale for €30-40 million

Behind the scenes, initial contact has already been established between the two parties.

Tavolieri reports that Riser’s representatives have already held discussions with Newcastle’s ownership group PIF to find out the structure of a potential summer move. Their interest is said to be genuine and initial exchanges have been positive.

Lenses are aware of the situation and are ready for a potential sale. Lens values ​​Riser at between €30-40 million, the latter reflecting both his current level and rising market value.

While the fee would represent a significant investment, it is in line with Newcastle’s long-term strategy to secure a first-choice goalkeeper in the future.

What this means for Newcastle’s long-term plans

The Magpies continue to build a team capable of competing in the Premier League and Europe. Newcastle have made strengthening goaltending a strategic priority.

The riser is now seen as a serious target. Both clubs expect discussions to intensify as the summer transfer window approaches. Although the deal is still in the early stages, Newcastle’s intentions have become clear as the summer window approaches.

With talks expected to intensify, Robin Riser is fast emerging as one of Newcastle’s most interesting transfer targets this summer.

magpies also have Odysseus Vlachodimos On their books, and he has performed excellently for Sevilla. This could be a good option, although he may want to be the first choice.

🇳🇱Kees Smit | “Newcastle is after him”

➡️ Magpies are chasing €60m signing
➡️ There is a possibility of price reduction
➡️ Jorge Mendes brought in for a secure deal
💬Tim Krul is #NUFC Interesthttps://t.co/xDLiBPlLEb

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 17 March 2026

There has been a goalie controversy in the Montreal Canadiens crease for most of the season. It seems that some fans have lost faith in Samuel Montembeault, and there are certain arguments that support a change.

Jacob Dobbes outmatched him to the extent that the former Team Canada member was sent down to the AHL for a conditioning stint in the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, leading to highly anticipated prospect Jacob Fowler being called up for a total of ten games. Later, on December 27 to be exact, the Quebec-native was recalled, and as a result, Fowler was returned to the Laval Rocket.

Since returning with the Canadiens, Montembeault has continued to divide opinions as he has compiled a 5–2–2 record in nine games played. Additionally, Dobbes has not lost once in regular time in his eight contests with the Habs since his goaltending counterpart returned to Montreal.

But is the difference in their performances really as big as the win column suggests?

Let’s take a look at the facts.

Who deserves credit for recent success?

Since December 27, the Montreal Canadiens have been one of the best teams in the league in points scored (6th in points) from 22 games played (6th in points), as well as goals scored (4th in GF/60).

What’s flying under the radar a bit is the fact that they’ve lagged far behind in terms of generating expected goals (22nd in xGF%). His defense has been particularly suspect (28th in xGA/60), a worrying situation for everyone involved.

Therefore, their goaltenders are often forced to bail them out, ranking 7th in GSAX/60.

And, surprisingly, Montembelt did it even more than Dobbes.

As seen in the table, since December 27 Montembeault has saved 0.9 goals above expectation per 60 minutes, thus bringing the most positive value out of the three Canadian goaltenders. Dobbes has also performed well, saving 0.64 goals per hour above expectation. Both goalkeepers have similar high-danger save percentage and low-danger save percentage, and rank slightly above average in those statistics.

In terms of consistency, Dobbes has had the upper hand, as he has made five quality starts in his eight matches, while Montebault has saved more goals than expected in four of his eight matches. Both goalkeepers have made two steals for their teams, meaning they have saved more goals than the goal difference between the teams involved in the match.

Thus, statistically it seems that as of late, both Dobbes and Montebault have not only been very important to their team’s success but are also having very similar performances.

So, why has Dobbes won seven of his eight matches and Montebault has won “only” five of them?

context is important

When we look at the Canadiens’ underlying numbers with different goaltenders since December 27, we notice a few things.

First, Jacob Fowler struggled at times when he was in net, but the Canadiens also had difficulty providing run support. In those 5 games Fowler started he scored over 1.5 fewer goals per hour than expected, while controlling 61.8% of the expected goals. Poor finishing and below average goaltending resulted in the Canadiens only getting 3 points from those 5 games.

Secondly, the Canadiens have handled expected goals very evenly regardless of whether Montembeault or Dobbes has been in net. However, Dobbes has enjoyed a goal share of 62.5%, while Montembelt is getting a goal share of 54.2% – quite good in itself – despite saving more goals than expected than Dobbes.

This could be explained by the fact that the Canadiens were better able to finish their chances on net with Dobbes than they were with Montembeault. The Canadiens have scored more goals than expected anyway, but with Dobbs, the Canadiens have scored goals Ten Many times more than expected compared to Montembeault.

This is a distinction that cannot be attributed to any goaltender, and it is also something that should be expected to be achieved again in the coming games.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

While some rumors have linked Stanley Cup-winning veteran goaltenders such as Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington to the Canadiens, the way the Canadiens goaltenders have been performing recently, it does not seem necessary.

Goaltending is something that is consistently inconsistent, and judging by their performance this year, both Binnington and Bobrovsky will be taking as much of a gamble as the current goaltender.

But the question still stands: who should be the one to start?

Thinking about this season’s performance, the answer is Dobbs. But as Montembeault seems to be quietly getting there, and given the very good results of the past, it seems more likely that he will still get his fair share of starts, and the 1A-1B situation will continue.

The Montreal Canadiens just have to hope that the goaltending remains good enough, and while they’re at it, they focus on finding ways to fix their special teams and defensive problems when the trade deadline approaches.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

In an NHL season in which goaltender interference has been an increasingly frustrating topic, an ambiguous and often downright judgment call went to Team Canada in the men’s Olympic hockey semi-finals, and led the Canadians to a 3–2 victory over Team Finland.

With two Canadian referees, no less.

With 6:35 remaining and Canada trailing 2-1, dangerous winger Brad Marchand came to the crease with no hesitation. He then approached Team Finland forward Erik Haula from behind. Those are undeniable facts.

From there, how fans watched the drama had a lot to do with the passports they held. Finland did not challenge the call for fear of being outmatched against rising Canada.

Shea Theodore ties it for Team Canada 🇨🇦

They were trailing Finland 2-0 at the start of the game

(via @NBCOlympics)pic.twitter.com/rYJTaBPdgM

– Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) 20 February 2026

Referees Eric Farlat and Dan O’Rourke could have waived the goal, but the call on the ice was a good goal.

To this writer, it certainly looked like Marchand made contact and then tripped over Saros because of the contact, and Saros did not have time to reset his position for play again, but the referee ruled that Haula caused the contact or that Saros had enough time to regain his position.

Shea Theodore was credited with the call. This season, nearly 70% of goalie interference challenges in the NHL have been unsuccessful. Finland decided not to take the chance, potentially giving the Canadiens a power play.

After the quarterfinal loss to Canada, Czechia coach Radim Rulik criticized the referees and questioned their impartiality.

“I feel like everyone is afraid to say anything against Canada,” Rulik said after the game on Wednesday.

To add insult to injury, Finland lost on a late power play goal after a high-sticking penalty. Canadian forward Nathan MacKinnon blasted a shortside one-timer from the left circle with just 35 seconds remaining.

Canada will face the winner of Team USA vs. Slovakia on Sunday for the gold medal.