Tottenham have given the green-light for an injured star to leave this summer, and the Spurs player has already agreed a contract elsewhere, according to reports.
Tottenham braced for Brighton as De Zerbi chases first win of 2026
The Lilywhites have spent this week sitting in the Premier League relegation zone for the first time in decades, and the picture surrounding the club grows more complicated by the day.
Roberto De Zerbi has had one game in charge — a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland that offered him little cause for optimism — and faces his former club Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday in what amounts to an immediate test of whether his arrival can change anything in the six games that remain.
Opta now places Spurs' relegation probability at just under 49 per cent, and the form data offers little comfort — five points from their last 14 league matches, a winless run in 2026 that stretches to 14 games and shows no sign of ending (ESPN).
Cristian Romero, the captain, is now out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury at the Stadium of Light.
He joins Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies on an injury list that has comprehensively stripped the squad of quality and depth across the most important weeks of the campaign.
Brighton arrive on Saturday having won three consecutive away league games, a daunting proposition for a home side that has won just twice on their own ground in the entire season.
One of the many doubts for the game is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is yet to return to training after hernia surgery, with Antonin Kinsky poised to start between the sticks again as things stand.
Speaking of Vicario, the Italian has been heavily linked with a return to his homeland this summer, and L'Interista have shared another update.
Tottenham green-light Guglielmo Vicario exit after Inter agreement
According to L'Interista, Inter have never wavered in their pursuit of Vicario and have identified the 29-year-old as their first-choice option to replace the outgoing Yann Sommer between the posts at San Siro.
Despite reports in recent weeks suggesting the Nerazzurri were reconsidering their options, the outlet — which has been consistent on this story throughout the season — confirms that Vicario has always been Inter's preferred target and that position has not changed.
Crucially, L'Interista reports that an agreement in principle over personal terms has already been reached between Inter and the player.
The deal being discussed is a four-year contract worth approximately £2.5m per season, meaning Vicario would commit to the Italian champions until 2030.
The contract is described as essentially ready to be signed.
Tottenham, for their part, are not expected to stand in the way of the move.
The final outstanding piece is the transfer fee.
Inter plan to approach Spurs with an offer in the range of £17m, a figure that mirrors what Tottenham paid Empoli for Vicario back in 2023.
Whether a club facing either a relegation battle or a Championship rebuild is in a strong enough position to push for more remains to be seen.
What is clear is that one more departure from a squad already stretched close to breaking point is coming.