Tottenham are set to raid a Serie A outfit to replace their No.1 Guglielmo Vicario in the summer.
Tottenham Hotspur continue to be defensively fragile under Thomas Frank. They conceded twice against Burnley at Turf Moor at the weekend, with Scott Parker’s side exposing the Lilywhites’ soft underbelly.
Spurs have now conceded 31 goals in 23 Premier League games, and a coach like Thomas Frank, who prided over building well-drilled and disciplined defences at Brentford, is failing to address their problems at the back. And one of the major factors contributing to Tottenham’s poor defensive record and lack of organisation is their goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario.
Guglielmo Vicario is having another inconsistent campaign in N17. Truth be told, he’s yet to prove himself at the club after arriving as a replacement for a stalwart like Hugo Lloris. There continues to be reservations around the Italian’s command in the box and ability to deal with the chaos during set-pieces.
As a result, Spurs have been planning behind the scenes to upgrade the goalkeeping department amid Vicario’s inconsistency and links to a move away from the club. The 29-year-old glovesman wants to leave Tottenham at the end of the season and return to Italy, with Inter Milan eyeing him as a potential replacement for veteran Yann Sommer, whose contract expires this summer.
Guglielmo Vicario wants to leave Tottenham at the end of the season
Guglielmo Vicario wants to leave Tottenham at the end of the season
Tottenham face competition from Chelsea and Bournemouth for AS Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar
According to a report from Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Sport Witness), Tottenham are interested in signing AS Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar. The 26-year-old has been valued at around €70m by AS Roma, with Chelsea and Bournemouth also keen.
Mile Svilar was named the best goalkeeper in Serie A for last season, and he has further enhanced his reputation with sizzling displays this term. The Serbian international, who burst onto the scene in Rome over the last couple of years, has kept 10 clean sheets and conceded only 13 goals in 22 Serie A appearances so far this campaign.
Bayern Munich are also interested in the AS Roma glovesman’s services. The Rome-based outfit are reluctant to sell one of their prized assets, but financial difficulties may force their hand in the summer, the report adds (h/t Sport Witness).
Tottenham face competition from Chelsea and Bournemouth for Mile Svilar
Tottenham face competition from Chelsea and Bournemouth for Mile Svilar
Spurs must replace Vicario with Svilar
Vicario wants to move back to Italy at the end of the season, which should give Spurs a great opportunity to sign an upgrade on him in goal. And Svilar, one of the highly-rated goalkeepers in Europe, would be an astute addition to Tottenham’s ranks.
A solid shot-stopper and comfortable with the ball at his feet, Svilar would bring much-needed calmness and stability to the Lilywhites’ defence. This season, he has helped Roma fight for the Champions League spots under Gian Piero Gasperini. At 26, the Belgium-born talent is still relatively young for a goalie and could solve one of Tottenham’s problematic positions for several years.
However, Tottenham will not only have to fork out a premium but also battle the likes of Chelsea, Bournemouth and Bayern for Svilar’s signature. And if the north Londoners want to improve their defensive unit, we must go all out for Svilar in the summer.