Galaxy, Tottenham goalkeeper Cudicini near two-year contract

Carlo Cudicini appears set to join the two-time reigning MLS Cup champions.

Sang Tan/AP

The Los Angeles Galaxy are close to completing the transfer of Carlo Cudicini from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The MLS champions have negotiated a two-year contract for the veteran Italian goalkeeper, who has asked to be paid the maximum possible within the club's salary cap.

The 39-year-old has been a Premier League footballer for close to a decade and a half. A regular at Chelsea under current AS Monaco manager Claudio Ranieri, and recognized as the division's best goalkeeper in the 2002-03 season, the former Italy under-21 international was touted for England's national team at one point during his career but elected not to change nationality.

Cudicini, whose father, Fabio, was a first choice for AC Milan, lost his first-team status at Chelsea when the club brought Petr Cech to Stamford Bridge in the 2004. Harry Redknapp then brought Cudicini to Tottenham on a free transfer in January 2009 not long after his appointment as the London club's manager. The new signing was briefly promoted to Tottenham's number one before injury forced Redknapp to return to starting Brazil international Heurelho Gomes.

Cudicini continued to serve as Tottenham's backup goalkeeper -- a role in which he was credited for his professionalism -- and had his contract extended last summer before Andre Villas-Boas' arrival as coach. Villas-Boas then signed France number one Hugo Lloris from Olympique Lyon to compete with U.S. international Brad Friedel, leaving Gomes and Cudicini as sparsely used reserves.

He has played just one first-team fixture for Tottenham under Villas-Boas, September's 3-0 League Cup victory at Carlisle United. In total, he played 37 games for Spurs and has also made senior appearances Como, Prato, Lazio and Castel di Sangro in Italy. Cudicini knows Los Angeles well from preseason training camps with Chelsea under Jose Mourinho.