Tottenham Hotspur had very intensive interest in the 35-year-old Hungarian goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi during the winter transfer period and made a concrete offer to his agent, Hasan Cetinkaya. The proposal included a two-year contract with an option for a third year and a substantial salary. The deal would have been advantageous for Tottenham because Gulácsi would have qualified as a 'Homegrown Player' after spending five years in England with clubs including Liverpool FC and Hull City, which would have freed up a squad position for another foreign player. The interest from Tottenham occurred as their primary goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, faced increasing criticism for his command of the penalty area and performance during set pieces.
After learning of the offer, RB Leipzig's sports director, Marcel Schäfer, negotiated intensively and improved the club's contract proposal for the player. Schäfer viewed him as an important and experienced figure for their young team's Champions League ambitions. Top goalkeepers are hard to find mid-season. Gulácsi's decision to extend his stay at Leipzig was reportedly influenced by his heart and a veto from his family. Gulácsi is a 58-cap international, has been with RB Leipzig since July 2015, and has made 21 appearances in the Bundesliga this season. His new contract runs until June 2027, and his current Transfermarkt market value is €2.00m.
