Vicario: ‘This was my dream, I’d have signed in blood to come back right here’

Anyone sitting all the way down to compile an inventory of final summer time’s greatest signings would possibly wish to begin with the title of Guglielmo Vicario.

Tottenham appeared to be taking an opportunity on a goalkeeper from Empoli, who was past his mid-20s with no worldwide honours and no expertise of European soccer.

At £16.3million, Vicario signed from Empoli at about half the worth of their preliminary goal David Raya, and greater than £30m lower than Andre Onana, who joined Manchester United from Inter Milan.

Something concerning the deal appeared too good to be true. Where was the catch? Well, right here we’re halfway by way of his first Premier League season and if there may be one, no one has discovered it.

Vicario has been merely distinctive in each sense. He has saved a great aim in an old style sense — clear dealing with, tremendous saves, composed with a robust presence and common sense — and been relaxed with the ball at his toes as the trendy recreation calls for.

Guglielmo Vicario has impressed since becoming a member of from Empoli for £17m in the summertime 

He has been named quite a few occasions as one of many signings of the season within the Premier League

Vicario has been named as one of many signings of the summer time by a number of pundits

Goalkeeper Vicario signed for a payment a lot smaller than different new Premier League keepers, together with Andre Onana who joined Man United for £47.2million

The Italian shot-stopper has pulled off some outstanding saves to gas Spurs’ robust season

At 27, he has been a constructive addition to the dressing room and behaved on and off the pitch like somebody grateful for the possibility and decided to not waste it.

‘This is my dream,’ mentioned Vicario, forward of Sunday’s journey to Manchester United. ‘I mentioned from day one I wish to stay this dream daily, make it actual and it is actual now.

‘I mentioned I might have walked right here if wanted and signed in my very own blood. It was my approach of claiming it was a chance I could not miss.’

As with each step of his profession, Vicario adjusted and met the problem, and peppers this interview with frequent guarantees to maintain working onerous and listening to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

‘Maybe you might be nervous since you face conditions you by no means confronted,’ he mentioned as he thought-about his progress. ‘Maybe you are feeling some strain. Maybe you aren’t certain about your self however you simply must undergo that and achieve expertise. From which you can study. You can really feel safer about your self.’

Nine years in the past, he was a young person on mortgage from Udinese at Fontanafredda in Serie D, in a workforce of semi-pro gamers who took him out nightclubbing on a Friday night time earlier than a Sunday recreation.

‘One labored in a financial institution, another person was in development,’ mentioned Vicario. ‘Normal jobs and large respect to what they did and are nonetheless doing as a result of it is a large dedication. We skilled 4 occasions per week and performed on Sundays and each Friday we might have dinner and perhaps go clubbing as a result of a few of the lads could be off work on Saturday.

‘We had a giant season, the primary for the membership in Serie D and we achieved our aim as a result of we did not get relegated. It was an important expertise. My first in a primary workforce with a bunch of massive males.’

Vicario constructed on this expertise with regular progress, refining his craft in Italy’s decrease leagues. He was twice promoted with Venezia, the place supporters dubbed him ‘Tegoina’ or ‘inexperienced bean’. ‘I used to be 18, very tall and really skinny and wore a inexperienced package in order that they referred to as me a inexperienced bean as a result of I regarded like one from distant,’ he defined.

Nine years in the past, Vicario was a young person on mortgage from Udinese at Fontanafredda in Serie D

Tottenham appeared to be taking an opportunity on a goalkeeper from Empoli, who was past his mid-20s with no worldwide honours and no expertise of European soccer

His Serie A debut got here with Cagliari, earlier than a mortgage at Perugia and a mortgage made everlasting at Empoli, the place he caught the attention of Tottenham’s recruitment specialists, together with the banned-but-still-influential Italian Fabio Paratici, as they sought a successor to Hugo Lloris.

‘Hugo did a lot for this membership,’ mentioned Vicario, on the previous Spurs captain who left for Los Angeles FC this month. ‘I mentioned the day he determined to go away that I might take care with all my chance to attempt to make a mark like him.

‘Not to attempt to replicate what he did as a result of he did unbelievable stuff. When you reside as a keeper and a captain and win the World Cup for France, you might have achieved one of the best.

‘I simply wish to commit myself 100 per cent and attempt to give to Spurs followers loads to recollect about me. Football isn’t for all the time. You must care for your home and to present every little thing.’

He has began properly and, as Spurs go to Old Trafford, it’s onerous to flee a comparability with a tough begin in England for United’s Onana, who will be part of Cameroon on the Africa Cup of Nations after Sunday’s recreation.

The two had been in opposition final season in Italy. ‘He has huge qualities, he’s an excellent goalkeeper,’ mentioned Vicario.

‘In the profession of a keeper it’s a must to keep balanced as a result of there are good and dangerous moments.

‘You could make two errors in a row however then you might have a giant recreation and it is, ‘Oh, this keeper is unbelievable’.’

The goalkeepers’ union remains to be going robust, even when their function has advanced past perception.