"Inter need a strong goalkeeper," saysGianluca Pagliuca with conviction, having spent five years between the posts for the Nerazzurri following Italy’s runner-up finish at USA ’94. And this description, the former Bologna player insists, fits the bill perfectly for Tottenham’sGuglielmo Vicario, who is having a difficult season but whose quality, Pagliuca maintains, is beyond doubt.
Vicario could have joined Inter following Onana’s move to Manchester United, but Tottenham moved quickly, taking advantage of the protracted negotiations withthe Red Devils. “He’s played in the world’s top league, for a club that was aiming to win the Premier League just a few years ago. Last year he won the Europa League, even though this year they’re almost facing relegation... He couldn’t have made a better decision: if a team that has just played in a Champions League final calls you, how can you say no? Now he’s had a poor season; he hasn’t performed as well as in his first year, but we’ve seen that the whole team has struggled, they’ve changed manager, then he was dropped in the Champions League and whoever took his place in goal made a mess of things… (the second-choice Antonin Kinsky, ed.)”