Tottenham Hotspur appears to be making moves in the transfer market, as reports suggest they have come to a verbal agreement with Empoli regarding goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. This development comes amidst speculation about the future of the club’s long-standing number one, Hugo Lloris, whose contract expires in 2024.
While Lloris has been the preferred choice for Tottenham in goal, his performances have experienced a noticeable decline, with the Frenchman making a record four errors leading to goals in the previous Premier League season. At 37 years old, Lloris has expressed his openness to leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, with interest from Saudi Arabia and rumors of a potential return to Nice.
Given that Fraser Forster is also nearing the end of his career, and neither Brandon Austin nor Alfie Whiteman have made significant breakthroughs into the first team, Tottenham has been actively seeking a new goalkeeper. Several high-profile names have been linked to the club, including Brentford’s David Raya, but their asking prices and contractual situations have proved to be obstacles.
According to Sky Sports News, however, a deal for Vicario is on the horizon. Tottenham and Empoli have reportedly reached an agreement in principle, with a transfer fee of €20m (£17.2m) being discussed. It is expected that Spurs will make a formal bid soon, and Empoli is likely to accept it, making Vicario their most expensive sale in history.
Vicario, a product of the Udinese youth academy, has played for several clubs before joining Empoli in 2021. With 14 clean sheets in 71 appearances, he has contributed to Empoli’s Serie A survival and their 14th-place finishes in consecutive seasons. Standing at an imposing 6 feet 4 inches, Vicario recorded seven clean sheets in 31 Serie A matches last season, catching the attention of Italy manager Roberto Mancini.
While Vicario has yet to make his debut for the Italian national team, he received his first senior call-up in September 2022 and was part of the squad during the recent Nations League finals, although he did not feature in any matches.
If Tottenham’s bid is accepted, Vicario could become Ange Postecoglou’s second permanent signing as head coach, following the return of Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus. The club is also rumored to be in the market for a new center-back, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba being mentioned as potential targets.