Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said the club will not be signing a replacement for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and has backed Fraser Forster to step in and fill the void.
Vicario underwent surgery on Monday after injuring his right ankle in a collision with Manchester City winger Savinho in the first half of last Saturday's 4-0 win at City. The Italian was somehow able to play for an hour of that victory despite sustaining a fracture.
"That's not going to happen - I don't think signing a free agent now is going to help us," Postecoglou said when asked about bringing in another 'keeper.
"Fraser, I've known for a long time. He's such a strong character in the group and always ready to play."
"It's a big blow"
Postecoglou also said he would be unable to provide an exact time frame on when his goalkeeper could return.
"It's a big blow, and for him personally, because he was having an outstanding season for us and really growing as a leader within the group but we've dealt with setbacks before and we'll deal with this one," Postecoglou told the club's official website.
"It's not going to be weeks. It'll be months. He's had his surgery and, you know with surgery, there's certain timelines and because it's Vic... I don't like giving timelines so early in the process as something like that as it puts undue pressure on the player and some expectations.
"I think once we're past the rehab stage and he starts getting out (onto the training pitch), we'll have a clearer idea."
On Instagram, Vicario posted: "Sometimes football gives you its highs, and sometimes it challenges you in ways you don’t expect. I played 60 minutes at the Etihad with a broken bone in my ankle, giving absolutely everything I had for the team. Unfortunately there was no way around this one. I needed surgery.
"I’m disappointed I won’t be able to help the team for a while.
"A massive thank you to the doctors and the staff. The operation went well, and from tomorrow I’ll be working hard to come back stronger, fitter, and ready to give my all for you again."
How big of a blow is it?
Vicario has been ever-present in the Premier League since joining from Serie A side Empoli in the summer of 2023, keeping 10 clean sheets from 50 matches.
His absence will be a big blow as Spurs enter a busy period, with 10 matches across the Premier League, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League from now until the end of the year.
Matches Vicario could miss
| Opponent | Competition | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Roma (H) | Europa League | 28/11/24 |
| Fulham (H) | Premier League | 01/12/24 |
| AFC Bournemouth (A) | Premier League | 05/12/24 |
| Chelsea (H) | Premier League | 08/12/24 |
| Rangers (A) | Europa League | 12/12/24 |
| Southampton (A) | Premier League | 15/12/24 |
| Man Utd (H) | EFL Cup | 19/12/24 |
| Liverpool (H) | Premier League | 22/12/24 |
| Nottingham Forest (A) | Premier League | 26/12/24 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | Premier League | 29/12/24 |
Vicario's impact has been telling, with only five goalkeepers preventing more goals since his debut in 2023/24, six 'keepers keeping more clean sheets and only Man City's Ederson producing more accurate passes.
Vicario's stats since his debut
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 50 |
| Clean sheets | 10 |
| Saves | 139 |
| Save percentage | 64.9% |
| Goals conceded (ex. own goals) | 71 |
| Expected goals on target conceded | 76.5 |
| Goals prevented | -5.5 |
| Passes | 1,763 |
| Passing accuracy | 85.3% |
Who could replace Vicario?
Forster could be Vicario's likeliest replacement.
The 36-year-old has played three times across all competitions this season - a 2-1 win at Coventry City in the EFL Cup, a 1-0 success against AZ Alkmaar and a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League.
Forster last played in the Premier League on 28 May 2023, a 4-1 win at Leeds United.
Back-up goalkeeper to Forster will be Brandon Austin or Alfie Whiteman.
Austin, 25, joined Spurs in 2015 and has made 79 appearances across various youth sides.
Whiteman, 26, also joined the club in 2015 and in addition to his youth appearances, made a senior appearance against Ludogorets in the Europa League on 26 November 2020.