Vicario praises De Zerbi as 'man of his word' after loan exit to Juventus

Guglielmo Vicario has credited Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi for handling his departure with honesty and directness, telling Sky Sports Italia the Italian coach was “a man of his word” after a prolonged summer saga ended with his season-long loan move to Juventus on 18 August.

The goalkeeper failed to play a single minute under De Zerbi, having undergone a hernia operation in March that sidelined him during the early weeks of the new manager’s tenure. That absence allowed Czech goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky to establish himself as first choice, and Spurs subsequently handed Kinsky a new contract after securing Premier League safety.

“Fantastic, from the first day,” Vicario said of his relationship with De Zerbi. “I thank him — I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus. With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him.”

Vicario joined Tottenham in 2023 and made 117 appearances for the club, including their Europa League-winning campaign under Ange Postecoglou. His form dipped during the 2025-26 season, however, and he was among 19 senior players to leave Spurs this summer. His loan to Juventus includes an option to make the transfer permanent for a fee of €10m (£8.5m).

Reflecting on his final season at the club, the Italy international was measured but pointed: “There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s summer overhaul has not yet translated into results. De Zerbi’s side are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season after a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, following earlier defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.

Forward Richarlison, who stayed at Spurs after the transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia closed, has been omitted from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad and is set to play no part for the remainder of 2026.