The former sporting director of Fontanafredda, Renzo Nadin, who was the one who discovered Guglielmo Vicario, believes the goalkeeper has made the right decision by moving to Tottenham.
Vicario was the first new face to arrive through the door at Hotspur Way this summer, with Tottenham signing him in a £16.4m deal from Empoli on the back of his two exceptional seasons at Carlo Castellani Stadium.
ENSCHEDE, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 18: Guglielmo Vicario of Italy and Bryan Cristante of Italy celebrate after winning the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 third-place match between Netherlands and Italy at FC Twente Stadium on June 18, 2023 in Enschede, Netherlands. (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
The 26-year-old has big shoes to fill, likely taking over the number one shirt from long-term captain Hugo Lloris, and he will hope to settle quickly into his new surroundings.
In his first interview with Tottenham’s official channel, Vicario made it clear that moving to N17 was his number-one choice as soon as he heard of the club’s interest.
Empoli president Fabrizio Corsi revealed last week that apart from Spurs, three other Premier League clubs and a couple of top Serie A sides were also keen on snapping up the goalkeeper this summer (Football Italia).
Man who discovered Vicario is a fan of Spurs move
Nadin, who took Vicario to Fontanafredda from Udinese Under-19s in August 2014, believes that the former Empoli man has made the right choice.
When asked about the Italian shot-stopper switch to Spurs, he told Sport Italia: “I admit that I would have liked to see him in 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 English well. In the end, Tottenham was the right solution for him. In England, he will be able to have his say while always remaining in the national team.
“Then there is another factor: if you miss just one match at the San Siro or at the Olimpico, you’ll already end up in the centre of criticism, if you mess up a game in the Premier it’s very different.”
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Vicario comes across as someone who is keen to challenge himself and continue improving.
There is no doubt that playing in the Premier League would be more beneficial in that respect, and the 26-year-old will also learn a lot from working with Postecoglou, given the Australian’s expectation of the goalkeeper’s involvement in build-up play.
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