Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly closing in on the signing of Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
The north Londoners have been interested in signing Brentford goalkeeper David Raya but are reluctant to pay the £40m asking price. Raya has a year left on his contract at Brentford and is unlikely to sign a new deal as he wants to explore a new adventure. This has resulted in Spurs looking at other goalkeeper options, with new manager Ange Postecoglou keen to upgrade the position.
According to Sky Sports, Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is set to sign for Tottenham for an initial £17.2m. Spurs are expected to submit an official bid and Empoli have indicated they will accept, with the deal also including bonuses on top of the initial £17.2m.
Guglielmo Vicario, 26, has just completed his second season as the first-choice goalkeeper of Empoli in Serie A, having joined the club from Cagliari in 2021, initially on loan. He has made 71 appearances for Empoli across two seasons combined. The shot-stopper has played in Italy’s lower divisions before and was the Cagliari’s back-up in Serie A during the 2020-21 season. He has also been called up to the Italy senior squad but is yet to make his international debut.
Guglielmo Vicario to Tottenham—Should he replace Hugo Lloris?
Tottenham’s current No.1 Hugo Lloris has declared his intention to leave this summer, which will bring an end to his 11-year-long stay in north London. Lloris, 36, has been a fantastic servant for Spurs and he will need to be replaced adequately.
The French World Cup winner has clearly regressed over the last few years, with his performances for Spurs riddled with high-profile errors. At 36, it was the right time for Lloris to move on and allow a young goalkeeper to replace him. And as per reports, Spurs are looking to potentially replace Lloris with Guglielmo Vicario.
Vicario has performed well for Empoli in the last two seasons in the Italian top flight. The 26-year-old played a big role in Empoli’s Serie A survival in 2021-22 by saving five spot-kicks from the 10 he faced. Last season, he conceded 39 goals in 31 games and kept seven clean sheets, as Empoli finished a respectable 14th in the Serie A standings.
Following a solid campaign with Gli Azzurri, Vicario has caught the attention of Spurs. The north Londoners feel he could prove to be a solid, long-term investment, with the Italian possessing the attributes to succeed in the Premier League. At 26, Guglielmo Vicario is still quite young for a goalkeeper and is likely to improve with experience and coaching.
Due to his composure on the ball and distribution skills, the ex-Cagliari goalkeeper matches the style of play Ange Postecoglou wants to instil at Tottenham. He would be a fine replacement for Lloris, whilst becoming a key member of Tottenham’s squad for the foreseeable future.
So, Spurs are heading in the right direction by signing Guglielmo Vicario, who has shown enough at Empoli to suggest he has a fair shot at succeeding in the English top flight.