The summer that refused to find its goalkeeper has, on the morning of Monday 17 August, produced its answer. Guglielmo Vicario is joining Juventus from Tottenham Hotspur on a loan with right of purchase — and all paperwork has already been signed. The Italian international is heading to Turin for his medical, with the club targeting his availability for next Sunday’s Serie A opener at Frosinone.
The Deal in Full
The structure is a loan with a right — not obligation — to purchase, totalling €10 million. That figure breaks down as €8 million fixed plus €2 million in performance-related bonuses, with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. Vicario has signed a contract running until June 2030 — a four-year commitment that reflects Juventus’s genuine long-term conviction in a goalkeeper they have admired throughout a summer that ultimately brought them to his door by a process of elimination rather than preference.
The Journey That Led Here
It began with Alisson and ended with Vicario — and in between came Dibu Martínez, Suzuki, Trubin, Lunin, Orlando Gill, and half a dozen others. The final decisive obstacle to a Martínez deal was a combination of Aston Villa’s rigid fee demands and a medical concern over the Argentine’s broken right-hand finger — the risk of surgery and a potential two-month absence proving too much for Juventus to accept in the final fortnight before the season. With that pursuit formally cooled, and Suzuki having signed for Aston Villa rather than PSG, the path to Vicario was clear. Tottenham — who had previously resisted a loan — accepted the formula once Vicario himself formally requested to be allowed to leave, and once De Zerbi confirmed unambiguously that the Italian was not part of his plans.
Di Gregorio Heads to Marseille
The Vicario arrival simultaneously resolves the Di Gregorio exit that had proved so difficult to engineer all summer. Marseille have been in contact with Juventus across the weekend and are advancing towards a loan deal for the Italian goalkeeper, who has given his personal approval to a temporary move to the south of France. Two phone calls between the clubs have already taken place, with further developments expected on Monday. Di Gregorio — who deserved better handling than he received — leaves for a fresh start in Ligue 1.
Buffon’s Endorsement — “He Gives Ample Guarantees”
The final word, fittingly, belongs to the greatest goalkeeper in Juventus’s history. Gianluigi Buffon had already delivered his verdict on Vicario earlier in the summer: “He has been with the national team for three or four years. He won the Europa League with Tottenham, had an important experience in the Premier League. He gives ample guarantees.” On the difference between Vicario and Suzuki, Buffon was diplomatically pointed: “There are differences — that I know. But it would not be kind to say them publicly.”
The summer is over. Spalletti has his goalkeeper. Lucumí completes the defence. Kolo Muani leads the attack. Alajbegovic adds the unpredictability. The new Juventus — rebuilt from the ground up in the space of eleven weeks — is ready. The competitive season begins in six days.
