Tottenham Hotspur have suffered a significant blow with the news that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has injured his right ankle.
"We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today (Monday 25 November) undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle," a club statement read.
"The 28-year-old suffered the injury during Saturday’s Premier League victory at Manchester City.
"Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training."
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 Manchester 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?
Fraser 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.
