Guglielmo Vicario is on his way to Juventus. The Italian side is agreeing to a season-long loan for the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper after their long-standing pursuit of Emiliano Martinez fell apart.
Tottenham had accepted a loan proposal from Juventus, with the move including a buy clause that is reportedly not mandatory. The agreement is an initial season-long loan with a roughly €10m option to make the deal permanent. Vicario is now expected to travel to Turin for a medical and sign.
How We Got Here
Juventus spent much of the summer chasing Aston Villa’s Argentine World Cup winner. The Italian club offered around £8.5m for the goalkeeper, only for Villa to reject the bid. Talks slowed down even more as Villa’s valuation of Martinez clashed with Juventus’s own figure. Additionally, concerns grew over a finger injury that had been troubling the Argentinian.
With the Martinez move seeming less likely, Juventus briefly turned to Parma’s Japan international Zion Suzuki. He had also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus were eyeing a loan. But that move to PSG collapsed over the weekend, clearing the way for Villa to swoop in and sign Suzuki instead. That closed off Juventus’s alternative and briefly reopened the door on Martinez.
What This Means
Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio is now expected to head out on loan until June. That swap that reflects growing frustration in Turin with Di Gregorio’s form. Fans jeered Di Gregorio during a loss to Como. Additionally, the club is wary of a goalkeeper no longer commanding the confidence of his defense.
For Vicario, the move brings an end to his Tottenham career. His departure from north London has been signaled since June, when Antonin Kinsky was established as Tottenham’s first-choice goalkeeper under Roberto De Zerbi. Vicario had even watched from the stands during Tottenham’s pre-season friendly against Hoffenheim, a clear sign his Spurs future lay elsewhere.
While Tottenham had hoped for an outright sale to protect his valuation, the club ultimately settled for a temporary switch. The move continues a busy summer of departures from north London. Vicario joins a list that includes Djed Spence to Inter Milan, Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid, and Radu Dragusin‘s loan move to Fiorentina, among others.
It’ll be interesting to see what Vicario looks like with Juventus. He is coming back to Italy with three years of Premier League experience under his belt. Now he will have to put it to use to solve Juventus’s goalkeeper issues.
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