Tottenham Hotspur are set to imminently launch a bid for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as they attempt to recruit a new number one, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.
What's the latest in Spurs' goalkeeper search?
Long-serving captain Hugo Lloris looks set to depart the club, and multiple options have been explored as new manager Ange Postecoglou aims to sign a new shot-stopper.
Brentford's David Raya previously agreed personal terms with the club, but was deemed too expensive, and Spurs have now seemingly turned their attention to Vicario.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that Spurs are set to make an offer for the 26-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Italy.
"Tottenham will submit in the next hours an official bid to Empoli for their goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario," he stated.
"He is a very good goalkeeper. He had a fantastic season in Serie A with Empoli, probably one of the best goalkeeper of the whole Serie A season together with [Andre] Onana and [Mike] Maignan, two fantastic goalkeepers of course, also Wojeich Szczesny and Alex Meret, but what Vicario did at Empoli, this is not a super club, a very respectable club, but not a super club, was really special.
"Tottenham's bid will be around €18m (£15.5m) for Guglielmo Vicario, it will include some add-ons."
Should Spurs sign Vicario?
A new goalkeeper is arguably Spurs' biggest priority this summer, and it is a position in which they cannot afford to recruit poorly in.
Vicario conceded 39 times in 31 games for Empoli last season, but is still relatively inexperienced for his age, having made just 73 top-flight appearances in his career.
The 26-year-old not only provided a higher shot/save percentage than the Spurs goalkeeper, but also showcased his ability with his feet by recording much more long-ranged passes (via FBref).
Despite being highly regarded in Italy, it would be something of a gamble for Spurs to recruit a relatively unproven player in such an important position of the pitch, and whilst an estimated £15.5m fee for a goalkeeper may prove to be good value, it may be worth paying a premium for a safer option such as Raya instead.
It remains to be seen whether Harry Kane will be sold this summer, and this could significantly impact Spurs' spending power. If they do not have the funds to be able to afford Raya, then taking the risk on Vicario may be the path Spurs choose to follow.
