Guglielmo Vicario didn't feature at all under Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur, having undergone hernia surgery before his appointment as head coach in April.
Guglielmo Vicario has reflected on his brief spell under Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur. The 29-year-old goalkeeper left the Lilywhites to join Juventus on loan, which includes an option to buy clause worth £8.5m (€10m), during the summer transfer window after losing his place between the sticks to Antonin Kinsky.
Vicario, whom Spurs signed from Empoli for £17.2m in June 2023 to replace the long-standing Hugo Lloris, didn't feature at all under De Zerbi, having missed all but the last two games of the season due to injury. In his absence, the Tottenham boss gave Kinsky the chance to become the new number one.
The former Czech Under-21 international made a good impression and has since remained the first-choice shot-stopper. On Sunday evening, Vicario conceded the only shot on target he faced during Juventus' dramatic 1-1 draw to AC Milan at the Allianz Stadium.
During an interview with Sky Sports, the Italy international was asked about his relationship with De Zerbi. As quoted by The Independent, Vicario described his fellow countryman as a 'man of his word'.
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"Fantastic, from the first day," said the former Lilywhites goalkeeper. "I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus. With me, he was a real person, direct and above all, a man of his word.
"He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind. He supported me, and I will always be grateful to him."
Reflecting on his last of three seasons at Spurs, Vicario suggested something happened behind the scenes that led to his exit. Without revealing too much, he added: "There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now."
Vicario followed Randal Kolo Muani, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, to Juventus. The former Spurs striker also featured in the clash against Ruben Amorim's side at the weekend, but he didn't manage to get on the scoresheet.
In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Kolo Muani also reflected on his spell in north London. The France international said: "English football is really a continuous box-to-box, from one penalty area to another, while in Italy the game is extremely tactical.
"You have to play with your head and not just with your feet. And then you work hard during the weekly training sessions, but I feel good."
Despite a disappointing spell at Tottenham, having scored just one goal in 30 appearances during a relegation-threatened Premier League campaign, Kolo Muani doesn't have any regrets. He said: "I’m someone who doesn’t drag negative thoughts with me.
"I work to forget the mistake immediately and focus on the next move. As Spalletti tells us, we must always stay on top of things. You have to think about the present."