Guglielmo Vicario joined Tottenham Hotspur from Empoli in the last window and has eclipsed Hugo Lloris to be first-choice goalkeeper at the Premier League side.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has left the Frenchman out of his plans and his decision to turn to the 26-year-old has paid off as he’s kept two clean sheets and conceded eight goals from seven league games this season.
Italian journalist Umberto Chiariello appeared as a guest on Canale 21’s Campania Sport, where he heaped praise on the Tottenham stopper, and his comments are relayed by Tutto Napoli.
Napoli sealed a 4-0 win over Lecce at the weekend and when focusing on goalkeeper Alex Meret’s performance, Chiariello used Vicario’s development over the years as an example to make comparisons between the two stoppers.
“I have a criticism to make of Alex Meret, not so much for the error on the goal which was later annulled against Verona, he was pardoned and therefore had no influence,” the journalist said.
“I’m interested in the goalkeeper’s attitude. I’ll give you the example of Vicario. He was Cragno’s backup at Cagliari, had a month and a half of visibility due to the latter’s injury and he proved to be good.
“Cragno returned and he returned to the bench, he [Vicario] went to Empoli and had an amazing year, confirming himself even in his second year.
“Now Tottenham have signed him and he’s doing extraordinary things, there is a growth in this boy who from a reserve has become an important goalkeeper. You can see the personality in his case.”
Italy manager Luciano Spalletti included the stopper in his squad for last month’s international break, and Vicario will hope his impressive displays for Tottenham can be enough to see him get a match for his country.
