In the transfer market, this is the kind of thing that happens. A deal practically at the details stage detonates, implodes in a manner that is nothing short of extraordinary. What began as a moment of mutual passion between Zion Suzuki and Juventus never became lasting love — and the breakdown, when it came, arrived on Thursday afternoon in the most abrupt and unexpected fashion imaginable.
What Happened — and Why Juventus Are Furious
The sequence of events is damning for PSG’s trustworthiness as a negotiating partner. Having reached what all parties understood to be a total agreement on a straight loan — wages split equally, a technical development contribution flowing to Juventus, the paperwork in its final stages — PSG began, in Lorenzo Aprile’s characterisation, to take time. Then more time. Then even more time.
The first signal that something had changed was the scheduling of Suzuki’s medical for Sunday rather than immediately — a delay that, in isolation, might have been explained innocuously. But the intention that subsequently emerged was considerably more troubling: PSG were considering keeping Suzuki at the club to assess him for several days before making any final decision, leaving open the possibility that Luis Enrique could simply decide to keep him after all.
For Juventus, this was a betrayal of an agreed position. The club did not wait to be told again. They walked away from the negotiating table voluntarily — and they did so furiously.
The goalkeeping question, ten days before the season begins against Frosinone, is wide open once more.
Vicario: Back to Plan B — but Tottenham Want a Permanent Sale
With the Suzuki route now effectively closed, Juventus have immediately reverted to their established alternatives. The first name on the resurrected shortlist is Guglielmo Vicario — still available, still wishing to return to Italian football, and still capable of being secured before the season begins.
The complication is Tottenham’s position. The north London club, sensing the changed landscape, are now pushing for a permanent sale rather than a loan — a request Juventus have no intention of honouring given the financial constraints imposed by the UEFA Settlement Agreement. Both sides know, however, that in a negotiation where Spurs desperately need to move Vicario and Juventus desperately need a goalkeeper, the opening positions rarely survive contact with a deadline. A loan with a right to purchase is the most likely eventual outcome.
Spalletti’s public scepticism about Vicario — “there is something to understand: why did a club like Tottenham decide to leave him out?” — adds an additional layer of complication. The manager’s endorsement, however reluctant, will be a necessary precondition before any deal is finalised.
The Rest of the Shortlist: Trubin, Lunin, Mandas, and Ederson
Should Vicario also prove elusive, Juventus have a list of further alternatives already being revived. Trubin of Benfica — admired enormously by the Juventus hierarchy but with a price tag approaching €25 million that makes him difficult to justify within the current financial constraints — sits atop the serious alternatives. Andriy Lunin of Real Madrid, Christos Mandas returning to Lazio, and Ederson — the former Manchester City goalkeeper now at Fenerbahce who is technically accomplished and would bring enormous experience — are also being assessed.
The common thread across all of them is complexity. Every option comes with a price, a waiting time, or a set of conditions that makes it less than ideal. Suzuki, on a free loan with wages shared by PSG, was the perfect solution. PSG have removed it from the table. Juventus must now find the next best available answer — and find it fast.
