Tottenham have finally found a Guglielmo Vicario transfer solution
It seemed as if Tottenham Hotspur were veering towards a situation reminiscent of Hugo Lloris' final season at the club.
In the summer of 2023, Spurs were moving on from their longtime goalkeeper. The Frenchman remains the club's finest shot-stopper of the Premier League era, but Ange Postecoglou required an alternative profile between the posts at the start of his tenure.
Choatic with his feet and athletically in decline, Lloris sought a new home as Guglielmo Vicario took the reins.
There were no suitors, however. As a result, the goalkeeper spent the first half of 2023–24 in the wilderness before an agreement was eventually reached with LAFC in December.
His successor, Vicario, has since reached the end of his tenure as Spurs' No. 1. Usurped by Antonín Kinsky during the back end of last season and unlikely to win his job back anytime soon, it makes little sense for the Italian to remain on our books.
However, finding a buyer for Vicario has been a struggle.
Juventus agree loan deal to sign Guglielmo Vicario
The 29-year-old has been expected to return to his homeland this summer. Problematically, though, Italian clubs are currently strapped for cash. Several potential landing spots emerged, then disappeared, with Inter Milan, once the frontrunners to sign Vicario, curiously placing their faith in Josep Martínez following Yann Sommer's departure.
Juventus have lingered for a while, with their priority target seemingly altering by the day. The Bianconeri had been linked with Parma's Zion Suzuki and Aston Villa's Emiliano Martínez, and when Villa struck a deal to sign Suzuki, it seemed inevitable that they'd pursue Martínez.
And pursue they did, but to no avail. Juve opted against signing Martínez following talks with Villa, and now they've reverted to Vicario.
Fabrizio Romano has given us a "here we go!" on Monday morning, with the Tottenham goalkeeper expected to sign for the Old Lady on loan. There will be a non-mandatory buy clause, too.
While a loan means it's not the ideal solution, it's crucial that Spurs get Vicario off their books before the start of the new season. The Italian acted professionally after losing his starting berth to Kinsky last term, but there was scope for discontent to brew if he remained on the depth chart, wasting months of his career.
Kinsky is Roberto De Zerbi's guy, and his importance to what the manager wants to achieve in possession has been evident once again in preseason. The young goalkeeper will have a content No. 2 in veteran Martin Dúbravka offering him support. It's a dynamic that should work well.
