Guglielmo Vicario has spoken positively about his time working under Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur, despite never featuring in a competitive match for the Italian manager before completing a move to Juventus this summer.
The goalkeeper's exit followed months of transfer speculation, with the deal only being confirmed on 18 August when he joined the Serie A giants on a season-long loan that includes an option to make the switch permanent for a reported fee of 10 million euros, equivalent to roughly £8.5 million.
Vicario's final months at Tottenham were disrupted by injury. A hernia operation in March kept him out of action during the opening stretch of De Zerbi's time in charge, opening the door for Czech international Antonin Kinsky to establish himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Once Spurs had secured their Premier League status, the club rewarded Kinsky with a new contract, effectively signalling that Vicario's future lay elsewhere.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports Italia this month, Vicario reflected warmly on his dealings with De Zerbi, even though the pair never got to work together on the pitch. "Fantastic, from the first day," he said of their relationship. "I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus. With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word."
The 28-year-old went on to explain that De Zerbi had been supportive of his decision to leave north London. "He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him," Vicario added.
The goalkeeper joined Tottenham in 2023 and became a key figure in the club's history, playing a significant role in their Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou in 2025. However, his form dipped during the following campaign, and he ultimately left the club after racking up 117 appearances in all competitions.
When asked to look back on his last season in England, Vicario was measured in his response, hinting at unspecified issues behind the scenes without going into detail. "There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now," he said.
Vicario was far from the only player to leave Tottenham during a summer of significant squad turnover, with 19 senior players departing the club in total. Notably, Brazilian forward Richarlison remained at the club despite widespread expectation of a departure, with moves to Turkey and Saudi Arabia both failing to materialise before those transfer windows closed over the weekend.
Despite staying at the club, Richarlison's immediate prospects look bleak after De Zerbi left him out of Tottenham's 25-man Premier League squad list, confirmed on Thursday. The decision means the forward will not be eligible to feature in league fixtures for the remainder of the calendar year.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi continues to search for solutions on the pitch as Tottenham's difficult start to the season persists. The club remains without a Premier League win, following defeats to Brentford and Newcastle United, and a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest at the weekend that did little to ease growing concerns among supporters about the team's early-season struggles.
Based on reporting from Independent (football).