Why Tottenham agreeing terms with Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario is different

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham has agreed on personal terms – which includes a five-year proposed contract – with Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Tottenham has been working hard to find an alternative goalkeeper option after Brentford refused to lower their £40 million asking price on David Raya.

The airwaves went silent after Tottenham and Brentford hit a loggerhead regarding Raya. The clubs’ valuations of the Spaniard were miles apart, with Tottenham reportedly holding firm on about £25 million.

Spurs have been busy the last week, approaching Vicario and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili.

With the latest Vicario news, it appears Daniel Levy has found his man to replace Hugo Lloris, though it hardly feels like a fair comparison.

While the Raya deal broke down when the clubs couldn’t compromise, it’s unlikely the same will occur where Empoli is concerned.

Tottenham plan on bidding between £17 million (€20 million) and £22 million (€25 million) for Vicario, whose Transfermarkt valuation stands at about £14 million (€16 million).

A bid of £22 million should be enough for Empoli to sell their No. 1 goalkeeper. It’s precisely the price range Levy had in mind for a goalkeeper all along.

If this deal doesn’t come to fruition, which it should, look for Levy to bid similarly for Valencia’s Mamardashvili.

Vicario, 26, is under contract until June 2025 and makes about €21,000 weekly. That paltry weekly amount would invariably increase if he signs with Tottenham, but not enough for Levy’s heart rate to increase.

It’s a far cry from the amount elite goalkeepers make, which makes sense considering Vicario’s comparatively low profile. Vicario is an unknown commodity if you’re not an avid Serie A follower.

He made 31 appearances in 2022-23, keeping seven clean sheets and allowing 39 goals. He made his Serie A debut in 2020-21 with Cagliari Calcio, though he only made four league appearances that season.

He’s been Empoli’s first-choice goalkeeper for the last two seasons, making 38 Serie A appearances in his 2021-22 debut season with the club.

He’s a towering 6 feet 4 inches, and I’d be surprised if he isn’t proficient with the ball at his feet. Otherwise, Ange Postecoglou would have no interest in him.

Then again, at Celtic, Postecoglou found a way for Joe Hart to adapt to his possession-based formation, so Vicario surely represents a substantially less challenging project.

Let’s see how this develops in the coming days, but don’t be surprised if we soon see a headline announcing his official Tottenham arrival.