Everton winning the British battle for Mucha

Teams from the richest football competition in the world, the Premier League – Sunderland, Stoke City, and Tottenham – as well as Scottish giants Celtic and Glasgow Rangers, have in recent days been battling to secure Slovakia’s hero from the World Cup qualifiers, national team goalkeeper Jan Mucha. The Economic Daily has learned that his most likely destination is a transfer to Everton in Liverpool. “Who will get him? I only know that on Wednesday they held talks with Everton, and a move to this team looks the most realistic,” said an unnamed source well acquainted with the English transfer market.

He did not report to the club
According to Polish media, the future of Slovakia’s number one goalkeeper was supposed to be resolved yesterday, since Legia Warsaw held their first training session of the new season. But Mucha did not show up, which fuels speculation about a change of club. “He arranged vacation for yesterday and today, the club is aware of this. I don’t want to specify an exact date when he is supposed to report back to the club,” said Mucha’s agent Jozef Tokos for the Economic Daily, who accompanied him during his trip to England on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were to hold talks with clubs showing serious interest in the 27-year-old Slovak. “Which clubs did we meet with? Under no circumstances can I now say anything about Jan Mucha’s future. Not about the country, nor the team,” noted Tokos. Mucha’s closest family also remained silent about his mysterious journey to England. “We agreed not to give any information to the media for now. I didn’t even discuss any specifics with him,” said Mucha’s brother Matus for the Economic Daily.

Tottenham looking for a number two
Polish media linked the future of Slovakia’s number one goalkeeper with Tottenham Hotspur, the fifth-placed team of the English top flight this season. Their coach Harry Redknapp reportedly showed strong interest in bringing in Mucha. Tottenham’s backup goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is out for the rest of the season, and the “Spurs” want to resolve this problem by signing the Slovak. The clear number one spot belongs to Brazilian Heurelho Gomes. “He wouldn’t like to play as a second goalkeeper. He needs to play, also because of Slovakia’s participation in the World Cup,” an unnamed source told the Economic Daily. Because of this, the most likely move for Mucha seems to be to Everton in Liverpool – where he would also meet his compatriot, local FC defender Martin Skrtel, in the same city. Everton’s American goalkeeper Tim Howard’s four-year contract expires in the summer, opening a chance for Mucha to become a key figure between the posts. “Everything will be decided in the coming days,” Mucha himself responded to all the speculation.

He may also stay in Poland
The transfer portal Transfermarkt estimates the fee for Slovakia’s third-best player and best goalkeeper in Poland, Jan Mucha, at 2.8 million euros. The Slovak goalkeeper’s contract expires in the summer of 2010, meaning he could move to any club for free. “If some club wants to sign Janko, we won’t stand in his way. But we must receive adequate compensation for the half-year he is still our player,” said Legia Warsaw coach Jan Urban for the Polish portal sport.pl. The Warsaw club has already once blocked Mucha’s departure to a stronger league. At the start of the season, several French clubs showed interest, but they did not accept the transfer fee demanded for the Slovak. Legia had valued him at two million euros. “That was too much for the clubs. In today’s difficult economic times, they prefer to sign players who are free,” Mucha told the Economic Daily in a recent interview. Everything suggests that Slovakia’s number one goalkeeper will finish this season in Poland and change clubs only after the World Cup in South Africa.