RISING star goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu insisted he was “not too sure” how close he was to a move to Tottenham as a teenager – but could start his Premier League journey against them tomorrow.

The 20-year-old arrived at Saints for a reported £12million from Manchester City earlier this summer, bolstering the goalkeeping department at St Mary’s.

But having signed for City in September 2018 from Shamrock Rovers for a reported £420,000, a report from the Irish Independent at that time claimed the youngster “was the subject of a series of bids from Tottenham Hotspur”.

Asked by the Daily Echo how close a move to Spurs ever got, Bazunu replied: “I’m not too sure. At that time, I was so young, I was just concentrating on playing with Shamrock Rovers and enjoying my football at the time.

“City was the only club that I actually went to in person, so I suppose it was only them in my mind.”

The report claimed Chelsea were also interested in the Dubliner.

Put to him that the interest at such a young age must have been flattering, Bazunu said: “Yeah, definitely.

“It was great for me to have such interest at a young age after only playing six games of men’s football.

“Once the opportunity came around (to join City) I had to go and take it.”

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