Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli on a five-year deal.
The Italy International put pen-to-paper on a long-term deal with Spurs for a reported transfer fee of £17.2 million.
Vicario’s deal is subject to international clearance and a work permit before the Italian can represent the English side.
The deal is a record breaking one for Empoli as it is the highest sale in the club’s history.
Guglielmo Vicario is the second signing for Tottenham Hotspur under new boss Ange Postecoglou, following the alteration of Dejan Kulusevski loan deal to a permanent one.
Kulusevski joined Tottenham Hotspur this summer for a fee of £25 million following an impressive season in England.
The 23-year-old penned a five-year contract with Spurs and he appeared indispensable in the squad last term.
As for Vicario, the Italian goalie was impressive during his two year stint at Empoli, earning a maiden international call up in September 2022.
Hugo Lloris, the Captain and present number one of the Lilywhites has a year remaining on his deal.
Lloris missed large parts of the 2022/23 season due to an injury and he has been declining in form consistently.
The signing of Guglielmo Vicario appears to be like a “continuity acquisition” as he should be handed the number one spot when Lloris departs the North London side.
Tottenham Hotspur have described Vicario as a “commanding goalkeeper with the ability to play out from the back”.
The 26-year-old began his football career at Udinese and he previously had stints at several Italian clubs namely Cagliari, Perugia and Venezia.
Vicario joined Empoli in the summer of 2021
He joined Empoli in July 2021 after the club gained promotion to the Italian top-flight football league.
Gli Azzurri were expecting to be contesting against relegation but the tall goalie assisted them to a consecutive 14th-place finish in the Serie A.
Guglielmo Vicario shipped in only 39 goals in 31 matches, keeping seven clean sheets, as Empoli finished a dozen points away from the relegation zone.
He didn’t get any minutes in Italy’s 1-0 victory over England in European Championship qualifiers.
Vicario has afterwards earned subsequent call-ups to the team, but he has been an unused substitute across all the matches.
The Empoli goalie was on the bench for friendlies against Albania and Austria, and in their run to this month’s Nations League triumph.
Fraser Forster who might drop down the pecking order to 3rd is another viable option that Tottenham can utilize in goal in the coming season.
The 35-year-old kept in goal for Tottenham Hotspur for majority of the second half of the 2022/23 season, but Hugo Lloris might be the first choice keeper until he exits the club.
Lloris time with the Lilywhites is nearing its expiration and Guglielmo Vicario might be the man to take up the mantle in goal.
What Tottenham Hotspur new signing, Guglielmo Vicario said after his arrival
Speaking with SPURSPLAY concerning his move to Tottenham Hotspur, the Italian described the move as a dream come true and he expressed his delight at joining the club.
He said: “Yes, I’m excited, It’s a dream for me to be here, one of the biggest teams in England and in the Premier League.
“I’d like to start quickly, to join my team-mates because, for me, it’s a big pleasure to be here.”
Vicario stated that he told his agent that a move to the Premier League and Tottenham Hotspur is his “first choice”.
The 26-year-old said: “I didn’t believe this opportunity. I told my agent it’s my first choice, I want to go to the Premier League and a big club like Spurs. For me, it’s so exciting.”
Guglielmo Vicario also said that he wants to learn many things and he acknowledged that there was a disparity between Premier League football and Italian football.
The Italian stated: “I want to learn a lot of things because the culture of football in Italy is so different.
“I need to adapt quickly to my team-mates, to the style of play, so many differences between Italian football and the Premier League.
“The fans are amazing as well, the buzz when you play well. I love this mentality.”
Who is Guglielmo Vicario and when was he born?
He is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur.
Vicario was born on the 7th of October 1996.
Guglielmo Vicario’s family?
Information concerning his family is unknown as he hasn’t revealed anything about it.
Vicario’s net worth, market value and salary?
His net worth is estimated to be about $2 million to $5 million.
According to Transfermkt, Guglielmo’s market value is €16,000,000.
Information regarding his salary is unknown yet but he is expected to receive a higher salary than he earned at Empoli.
Guglielmo Vicario’s stats?
Vicario made 31 appearances in the Serie A for Empoli during the 2022/23 season and he kept 7 clean sheets.
Guglielmo Vicario’s contract details?
He penned a five-year deal with Spurs which will see him stay at the club at least until the summer of 2028.
