Antonin Kinsky has disclosed that his transfer to Tottenham Hotspur unfolded with remarkable speed, prompting a last-minute dash to gather his gloves and boots. The young goalkeeper, who has made a name for himself with impressive performances at Slavia Prague, finalized his move to Spurs on Sunday morning for a reported fee of £12.5 million.
Kinsky's signing comes at a crucial time for Ange Postecoglou, who is looking for depth in the goalkeeping department, especially with Guglielmo Vicario sidelined until the end of February following an ankle injury sustained against Manchester City back in November. Despite showing no signs of an imminent transfer on Friday morning, the situation changed drastically by evening, propelling Kinsky into swift action.
"I was convinced I would be staying at Slavia," Kinsky recounted on the club's official website. "I had even coordinated with my glove sponsor to receive new gloves on the weekend, just before our departure for training camp."
"I attended training that Friday morning, completely unaware that my world was about to change. Later, while enjoying time with friends at the sauna and then during a massage, I turned my phone back on to find I had missed a call. When I returned the call, I discovered what was in store for me."
"Realizing I was flying out the next morning, I panicked a bit; I needed gloves and boots, none of which I had at home. So, I jumped into my car, drove to Plzen, and then to Eden, partly to say goodbye and take a final glance at the stadium. Thankfully, I managed to gather everything I needed before packing up my home and heading off."
Reflecting on his impressive form during the initial half of the 2024/25 season with Slavia Prague, Kinsky played a pivotal role in their Champions League qualifiers and Europa League campaigns. In domestic competitions, he kept an impressive 12 clean sheets out of 19, contributing to Slavia’s strong standing, having conceded only seven goals in league play.
Things could have turned out very differently for the talented keeper, who shared that he was on the brink of leaving Fortuna Arena last summer. "Honestly, I will miss everything about this place immensely," he confessed. "I was close to moving abroad during the summer, yet as the new season approached and I started playing, it quickly became a source of great joy for me. "The Champions League qualifiers against Lille, cup matches, thrilling league contests, and memorable moments like defeating Banik and staging a comeback in Olomouc – each of these left a lasting impression on me. Looking back, I realized I would have regretted not experiencing it all."
Kinsky acknowledged that his time with Slavia was intense, but he believes those six months contributed significantly to his current opportunity. "Although it was brief, it was remarkably intense, and without those experiences, I may not have attracted such interest. I'm very grateful for that, to be honest."
On his recent transfer to Tottenham, Kinsky expressed that joining a Premier League club feels "incredible." "This is a dream realized for me. I understand this chance might only come once in a lifetime," he said. "My dad always stressed the importance of hard work, readiness, and seizing opportunities to chase one’s dreams. Since childhood, it has been ingrained in me to always be prepared, and when a chance like this arises, I tell myself, 'This is it.'"
"Every moment felt pivotal, yet I never envisioned something of this magnitude - that Tottenham would express interest in me. The feeling is surreal, and I couldn’t be happier."
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