The sporting director who discovered new Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has explained why he has chosen the ‘right solution’ by joining Spurs before revealing five suitors who wanted to keep him in Serie A.
Vicario recently became the first new signing of the summer for Tottenham after joining from Empoli. His arrival was a crucial piece of transfer activity for Spurs, who are ready to move on from Hugo Lloris as their main goalkeeper next season.
Lloris, Tottenham’s captain, has been their number one for more than a decade. But he could leave this summer and finding a long-term successor was always the plan anyway.
Vicario has signed a five-year contract at Tottenham, who will give him the chance to showcase his talent to the Premier League for the first time in his career.
Now, Renzo Nadin – a sporting director who acquired Vicario for Fontanafredda on loan from Udinese at the outset of his senior career back in 2014 – has declared why the 26-year-old has made the appropriate next step.
Nadin told SportItalia: “I admit that I would have liked to see him at a big Italian club, but at the same time the Premier League and a city like London, one of the most beautiful in the world, are something incredible.
“Moreover, I saw the video of his first statements and he already speaks good English.
“Tottenham has been the right solution for him in the end. In England he will be able to have his say while always staying around the national team.
“There is also a further factor. If you make mistakes in just one game at San Siro or Stadio Olimpico, you already end up at the centre of criticism. If you make mistakes in one game in the Premier League, it is very different.”
Vicario could have replaced Man Utd target instead
Although Vicario may not yet be a household name for Premier League fans, his ability was not lost on the number of Serie A sides who tried to sign him before Tottenham took him away from Empoli.
One of his options, Nadin has revealed, would have been to go to Inter as a replacement for Andre Onana, who is a top target for Man Utd.
Nadin disclosed: “Yes, Inter was following him for a long time and really thought of Guglielmo in case of Onana going away.
“Juventus were interested too. Of the rest, already a year ago he should have gone to Lazio, while later there were Napoli and Fiorentina.”
Instead, Vicario’s future will be in the Premier League with Tottenham. There will be pressure and scrutiny, but after only conceding 39 goals from 31 games for a side that finished in the bottom half of Serie A last season – the same number that Lloris let in from six fewer Premier League appearances for Spurs – he has earned his chance.
