Among the myriad of issues that need sorting out at Tottenham Hotspur is the goalkeeping situation.
The club’s current No.1 Guglielmo Vicario arrived in a £17 million move from Empoli in the summer of 2023, but has been the subject of criticism this season and was dropped by interim boss Igor Tudor for the first leg of the club’s Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid earlier this month.
While that decision would backfire completely when Antonin Kinsky conceded three goals in the opening 15 minutes and was then hooked on 17 minutes, speculation over Vicario’s future remains.
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Tottenham linked with former Leeds ‘keeper
Amid Vicario’s inconsistent performances this season, the 29-year-old has been the subject of plenty of reports linking him with a return to Italy, with the likes of Juventus and, most recently, Inter being linked with the five-time Italy international.
Now, Spurs have been linked with another Serie A raid, as the club are said to have been monitoring a former Leeds United goalkeeper.
Elia Caprile signed for Leeds from Chievo as an 18-year-old in January 2020 and although he failed to make a senior appearance for the Whites, was a regular for the club’s under-23s side and featured on the first-team bench eight times.
He returned to Italy when he signed for Bari in the summer of 2023 and immediately began to impress in Serie B, earning him a move to Napoli 12 months later and seeing him break into the Italy U21 side.
The 24-year-old joined Cagliari last summer, where his performances this season have put him on the radar of Tottenham, who, according to journalist Nicolo Schira, have dispatched their scouts to monitor his progress.
Spurs’ Premier League rivals Aston Villa are also believed to have headed to Italy to watch him in action, amid long-term rumours over the future of Emi Martinez.
Caprile was recently called up by Italy boss Gennaro Gattuso for the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off squad, replacing Vicario, who will undergo hernia surgery over the international break, with the club stating he should return to action ‘within the next month’.
In FourFourTwo’s view, scouting goalkeepers is a wise move by Spurs. Like many of his team-mates, Vicario has endured a torrid season and it’s not hard to envisage his exit regardless of whether the club stays up or not.
Caprile, who is valued at €15 million by Transfermarkt, is one of Europe’s most promising young goalkeepers and the fact that he has experience of playing and living in England will also be another tick for any potential Premier League suitors.
The former Leeds man is under contract until 2029, having only moved clubs last summer, so he will not come cheap - meaning any potential move will entirely rest on what division Tottenham are playing in next season.