Football Italia

Reports in Italy indicate that Inter might decide against signing Guglielmo Vicario despite reaching an agreement with the Tottenham goalkeeper: Lorenzo Bettoni explains why the Nerazzurri’s decision would make sense.

Tottenham and Italy goalkeeper Vicario has long been Inter’s primary target to replace Yann Sommer in 2026-27, as the Swiss international is expected to leave San Siro at the end of his contract in June.

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Inter might decide against signing Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham this summer and instead rely on their current second-choice goalkeeper, Josep Martinez, in 2026-27.

Vicario might not be joining Inter over the summer despite having already reached an agreement with the fresh Serie A winners.

Inter might drop Vicario despite agreement with Tottenham goalkeeper

Multiple sources over the last few weeks reported that the Nerazzurri had reached a principle of agreement with the Italy international, although they still had to receive the green light from Tottenham, who value Vicario at €20m.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Nerazzurri might ultimately decide against signing Vicario and instead use their transfer budget to strengthen other areas.

Gazzetta dello Sport reported earlier this week that the Nerazzurri will have a budget of €40-50m for new signings in the summer, which could be boosted with some sales.

Yann Sommer is expected to leave at the end of his contract in June, so the second-choice keeper Martinez would be deployed as a regular starter in goal next season if Inter decide against welcoming Vicario.

The Italian goalkeeper remains on Inter’s radar, but transfer expert Matteo Moretto has also reported that the Nerazzurri are now unsure about whether to continue talks with Tottenham, given that Martinez could become their first option for the new campaign.

If Inter don’t sign Vicario, they’d still have to get a high-level second-choice keeper who would potentially compete with Martinez for a starting spot in goal next season, Moretto said.

Martinez, 27, will start the next two matches against Lazio, first in Serie A and then in the Coppa Italia Final.

He has only made eight appearances across all competitions this season, going through a tough time off the pitch after being involved in a car accident that killed an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair in October 2025.

Martinez is in his second season at the Stadio Meazza, having joined Inter from Genoa for €14m in the 2024 summer transfer window.

Mandela Keita has emerged as one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe after an impressive debut Serie A season with Parma, with Atalanta joining Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in monitoring the Belgian.

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According to ParmaToday, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Atalanta’s interest is directly linked to the expected departure of Ederson, who is widely anticipated to leave Bergamo this summer with Manchester United understood to be ahead of Atletico Madrid in the race for his signature.

While Keita is a different profile to the Brazilian, he is reported to fit the technical criteria Raffaele Palladino’s side are working to ahead of next season.

Atalanta scouts watch Keita closely as Parma hold firm on valuation

Atalanta’s interest remains at an exploratory stage for now, with club scouts having watched Keita on multiple occasions to assess his physical qualities and ability to break into opposition lines.

No formal offer has been submitted by any of the interested clubs.

Keita arrived at Parma from Antwerp in the summer of 2024 for around €13 million and has developed into one of the cornerstones of Carlos Cuesta’s side.

Parma are under no financial pressure to sell, though as is often the case, the right offer could change the picture quickly.

Alessandro Bastoni remains Barcelona’s top target to strengthen their defence, but growing interest in Cristian Romero is creating uncertainty for Inter ahead of a crucial week in negotiations.

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The Italian club had been preparing to open formal talks with Barcelona, with both parties initially aligned on progressing a deal.

However, according to Spanish outlet Sport, the emergence of the Tottenham centre-back as a viable and potentially cheaper alternative has introduced tension into the situation. Inter are actively working under the assumption that Bastoni could be sold and have already begun shaping their transfer strategy accordingly.

Barcelona open to Romero as alternative to Inter’s Bastoni

At the heart of the issue is valuation. Inter are holding firm at around €60m for Bastoni, while Barcelona are reluctant to go beyond €50m unless player exchanges are included. That gap has raised concerns in Milan that pushing too hard could drive Barcelona towards Romero, whose overall cost is expected to be lower.

Bastoni himself is understood to be open to the move and keen on the opportunity to join Barcelona. Personal terms are not expected to be an obstacle, with the Spanish side capable of matching and improving his current salary. The defender is unlikely to force the situation publicly, but internally he is ready to signal his desire for a transfer if needed.

For now, Barcelona continue to prioritise Bastoni, but Romero remains firmly on their shortlist and is also open to the switch. With Inter needing to sell and alternatives available, the coming days could prove decisive in determining whether Bastoni’s move materialises or collapses.

Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi sent out a warning to Tottenham Hotspur players and fans as they battle relegation from the Premier League. ‘Losers cry and think negative.’

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The former Benevento, Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Brighton and Olympique Marseille tactician took over from Igor Tudor as the third coach of a seemingly cursed campaign at Spurs on March 31.

He has overseen a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, 2-2 draw against his old club Brighton, and 1-0 victory away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

They are still in the relegation zone, but De Zerbi used today’s press conference to send out a strong message.

De Zerbi refusing to let Tottenham give up

“I heard, ‘It is impossible’. We are crying, everyone, ‘We are relegated.’ Not yet,” noted the Italian.

“We have to die on the pitch and to die on the pitch we have to lose the game. Before losing the game, we have to play and we have to fight.

“We have two points less than West Ham and they have to play a difficult game as well. It is not the best moment for us. It is a tough and difficult moment.

“But the losers cry, the losers think negative. I don’t want people close to me to be crying or think in a different way from me.”

😢 "The losers cry, the losers think negative."

Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi says his players have to "die on the pitch" and stay emotionally positive in their battle against relegation. pic.twitter.com/S3d8fi4dEI

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 1, 2026

It has been said for decades that Tottenham have a sense of negativity about them, which can see the club under various different managers and players manage to fumble successful situations.

De Zerbi decided to attack the ‘Spursy’ reputation head-on, just as Antonio Conte had done before him.

“The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us. Inside of the players, the staff and the fans,” continued the Italian.

“This voice produces negative thoughts and it says we are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons, he was in the last two games one of our best and most important players.

“Our medical staff not good enough, the pitch of the stadium and the training ground is not good, it is impossible winning two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026.

“I think these are all negative things and it’s rubbish because I want to keep my focus on ourselves and the quality of my players.”

Roberto De Zerbi picked up his first win as Tottenham Hotspur coach, but the result was not enough to significantly improve their fight for Premier League survival.

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The Italian coach had called for a turning point ahead of the clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and his side delivered a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a late goal from Joao Palhinha.

It marks a first success after three weeks in charge for De Zerbi, who was brought in to try and pull off a difficult escape from the relegation zone. However, the situation remains complicated.

De Zerbi still two points off of safety despite first Spurs win

Despite the win, Spurs stay third from bottom on 34 points, as results elsewhere went against them. West Ham United secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Everton, keeping themselves above the drop zone and maintaining a two-point gap over Tottenham.

For De Zerbi, the performance offers a sign of life and a potential foundation to build on, but with only a handful of games remaining, time is running out to close the gap and avoid relegation.

The coach said when he arrived that he would be coach next season, no matter what, and the prospect of one of Italy’s best coaches managing in England’s second tier is a very real possibility.

Roberto De Zerbi’s wait for a first victory as Tottenham head coach goes on after a maddening 2-2 draw with Brighton at a packed stadium, a result that felt like a defeat given the manner in which the points were conceded, with goals for the visitors arriving in the final moments of both halves to deny Spurs what would have been a crucial win in their battle against relegation.

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Despite the frustration, De Zerbi refused to allow negativity to take hold, delivering a characteristically passionate and defiant assessment of where his side stand with five games remaining.

“I’m very proud because the players gave their best, with the right mentality, the right blood, the right character,” he said, with quotes via Football.London.

“I’m disappointed only for the result, for my players and for the fans, because the atmosphere was incredible. In a very tough situation, the stadium was amazing.”

De Zerbi: ‘Spurs can win five games in a row’

On Danso’s error that led to Brighton’s late equaliser, De Zerbi was protective of his player.

“I prefer to make mistakes with the personality to play than to concede a goal without personality or courage,” he said. “Now we need courage. To win games we have to be positive and play football.”

His ambition for what remains of the season may have raised eyebrows, but it was delivered with total conviction.

“This team is able to win five games in a row,” he said. “Now it is difficult to hear my words, but if you analyse the level of these players, we have the quality to fight and win games consecutively.”

His message to any player tempted to feel sorry for themselves was equally direct.

“They have to come to the training ground on Monday with a smile, otherwise they go home. I have no time for negative people or sad players. We are lucky to be working at a big club in the Premier League. Be positive. Stop.”

Roberto De Zerbi is using a traditional Italian team-building exercise with Tottenham Hotspur, even though a similar approach already failed for Igor Tudor.

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The Italian coach has become the third different boss at Spurs during this cursed campaign, and with his team in the Premier League relegation zone, is trying everything to get them working together quicker.

De Zerbi takes Tottenham out to dinner

According to Telegraph Sport, De Zerbi took the entire squad out to dinner at Bacchanalia restaurant in Mayfair this week.

This is a common tactic used in Italian football to build team spirit, both during moments of crisis and in general during a season.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso tried it with players when he was not given time for traditional training get togethers.

Former Juventus, Udinese and Lazio coach Tudor learned the approach in Serie A too and tried it with Tottenham in February, but to limited results, as he parted company with the club after failing to win a single Premier League game.

“My job now is not to coach a style, with or without the ball, but try to give the players what they need in terms of mentality,” said De Zerbi after losing on his debut to Sunderland.

“My style is to trust the confidence of the players. During the week, they play better because they are clean in their heads, but in the game it is different. My work must be to get them to show what they are doing during the week in a game.”

Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi lost his debut on the Tottenham Hotspur bench, leaving them in the Premier League relegation zone.

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The former Sassuolo, Benevento, Shakhtar Donetsk and Olympique Marseille boss was drafted in during the break for international duty following the dismissal of Igor Tudor.

De Zerbi is the third manager of the season at Spurs, which shows the extent of the task at hand to turn this situation around, but signed a long-term contract as a show of faith in their prospects.

Tottenham defeat on De Zerbi debut

It was the worst possible start to his Tottenham career, suffering a 1-0 defeat away to Sunderland, decided by Nordi Mukiele’s impressive strike.

https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/2043336922232156206

The team is now without victory in 14 Premier League games, since beating Crystal Palace on December 28, and the club’s longest winless streak since 1935.

“I can be a big brother, father, they don’t need a coach,” De Zerbi told BBC Sport.

“They don’t need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence.

“I‘m sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change.”

"I'm sorry for the result, I'm sorry for the Romero injury…We didn't deserve to lose the game"

Roberto De Zerbi says his players showed real fight against Sunderland but were unlucky to come away with nothing 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/SQG9599yHA

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 12, 2026

To add insult to literal injury, former Serie A defender Cristian Romero went off in tears with a fitness issue and that could well be the end of his season.

Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho have struggled here before, now De Zerbi is the latest coach to take on a club with seemingly endemic problems.

Inter are moving decisively to secure Guglielmo Vicario as their new first-choice goalkeeper ahead of next season, with sporting director Piero Ausilio having already made a trip to London to accelerate negotiations for the Tottenham stopper.

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According to CalcioMercato.it, the Italian international has been on Inter’s radar for some time, and the club are now ready to make their move ahead of what promises to be a busy summer.

Vicario’s valuation of between €15 million and €20 million is considered well within Inter’s reach, and the Nerazzurri are determined to move quickly before rival clubs can enter the race.

Vicario ready to succeed Sommer at Inter

The signing would signal the end of an era at the club, with Yann Sommer expected to remain but transition into a backup role.

The Swiss international has been a reliable and high-quality presence since joining the club, but the Nerazzurri’s hierarchy have decided the time is right to plan for the long term with a younger option between the posts.

Vicario has established himself as one of the Premier League’s more dependable goalkeepers since joining Tottenham and is considered ready to step up to a leading role at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

With Italy’s goalkeeping debate set to intensify in the wake of the World Cup elimination, a move to Inter would also keep him in contention for the national team setup under whoever takes charge of the Azzurri.