Spurs have been linked with a surprising potential swap deal with a Serie A side
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While Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer window has been more notable for heavy spending than for sales so far, their attempts to get rid of unwanted players over the coming weeks will be a key part of the equation as they attempt to build a squad which can compete for the top four instead of battling against relegation. One such unwanted player is Guglielmo Vicario.
The former first-choice goalkeeper has lost his place in the pecking order to Antonín Kinský and seems to have his heart set on a move back home to Italy, which several Serie A sides seemingly happy to oblige. Reports of discussions involving Juventus and Inter Milan have been widespread – but now an intriguing new report suggests that an unexpected swap deal with Napoli could be on the cards.
Napoli & Spurs could work out a swap deal for Guglielmo Vicario - reports
According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, whose reporting is covered in English by Sport Witness, Napoli have emerged as a contender for Vicario’s signature and could attempt to seal a deal by sending their own goalkeeper the other way. It’s a deal which has the potential to upend Spurs’ plans for the goalkeeping role next season.
Napoli’s current number one is 29-year-old Serbia international Vanja Milinković-Savić, but his performances across his debut season with the club haven’t convinced them and they are considering including him in a part-exchange deal for Vicario as they work to win the battle for the Italian’s signature.
Milinković-Savić, who was on the books at Manchester United during the 2014/15 season but didn’t make an appearance for them, started 27 Serie A games for Napoli last season but was dropped towards the end of the campaign after a nightmare performance in a 3-2 defeat to Bologna. That horror show aside, the statistics suggest a solid season, but Napoli would appear to prefer Vicario if they can get their hands on him.
There are plenty of complicating factors. Firstly, Juventus may be better-positioned to sign Vicario and seem to have the 29-year-old in mind as their second choice should they fail to sign Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez, their number one target. Secondly, Milinković-Savić is not technically Napoli’s player to sell just yet.
The 20-cap international is currently on loan from Torino, for whom he was first choice for four seasons, but the deal with Napoli includes a compulsory purchase clause worth €21m (£17.8m). That has not technically been triggered as it stands, which could slow proceedings down somewhat if Spurs did decide to negotiate a swap deal.
The exact details of the detail, and whether it would be a straight swap or a part-exchange, are not discussed in Correre dello Sport’s reporting. Such deals are notoriously hard to agree upon and seldom happen in practice – but could this be an exception? And would it make sense for Spurs?
Will Spurs sign Milinković-Savić – and would it be the right move?
The odds are firmly against a swap deal between the two clubs as it stands, not least because of the interest of other sides in the players involved – Juventus present stiff competition for Vicario’s signing, while both Hull City and Leeds United, two Premier League sides chasing a new number one, have made enquiries as well.
Hull are more likely to present a problem as Leeds’ first choice is Parma and Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The Tigers have reportedly already made a bid for Milinković-Savić, but had their initial approaches rejected. They may well be back with a better offer soon.
Even if Juventus, Leeds and Hull all end up standing aside, though, it’s difficult to imagine such a deal taking place. The natural complexity of negotiations is one reason, but another is that Spurs have decided to put their faith in Kinský for the upcoming campaign and the arrival of Milinković-Savić might muddy the waters in an unhelpful manner.
What the fearsomely-bearded Milinković-Savić would offer is a more experienced alternative if Kinský, who has signed a new five-year contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, should struggle, as he did when he was substituted just 17 minutes into a disastrous Champions League match against Atlético Madrid in March.
While Milinković-Savić was not as consistent as might have been hoped for during his first year with Napoli, he still posted a 70% save rate in league games (Kinský’s equivalent rate was just 59%) and is more comfortable coming out of his area to handle balls over the top than the Czech.
If Milinković-Savić, the brother of Al-Hilal midfielder Sergej, was happy to act as a back-up for the time being, he would represent a strong insurance policy and perhaps an upgrade on Martin Dúbravka, the veteran goalkeeper currently earmarked as number two. But signing him would also represent a certain lack of faith in Kinský, and could be seen as a questionable use of financial resources when there are so many areas of the squad in need of an overhaul.
The likelihood remains that a swap deal doesn’t take place, and there is no guarantee that Vicario leaves or that Milinković-Savić doesn’t end up somewhere else entirely – but if Spurs do go down this road, it would represent an intriguing gamble in a very high-risk transfer window.