Tottenham Hotspur face a critical period in their season with their first-choice goalkeeper set for surgery and a major decision looming over who will replace him, as the club battles to secure its Premier League status.
Vicario to play through pain before surgery
The club has confirmed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will undergo a “minor” hernia operation next week. Despite the impending procedure, the Italian international is expected to start in a vital relegation clash against Nottingham Forest this Sunday. Spurs stated the timing of the surgery is designed to have “as minimal impact on our season as possible” and they hope for his return to action within a month.
Vicario, 29, has been playing through pain for several weeks, a situation that preceded his omission from the latest Italy squad. His absence will be keenly felt; the £17 million signing from Empoli in 2023 has been a mainstay, previously overcoming a broken ankle in November 2024 that sidelined him for three months.
Tudor’s immediate goalkeeper dilemma
Should Vicario not be ready for the trip to Sunderland on April 12, interim manager Igor Tudor will be forced into a significant selection call. The choice appears to be between reinstating Antonin Kinsky, whose last start ended in disaster, or turning to third-choice academy product Brandon Austin.
Kinsky, 23, endured a Champions League nightmare just last week. Making his debut in the competition in the first leg against Atletico Madrid, the Czech goalkeeper was substituted after only 17 minutes following two costly errors that contributed to Spurs falling 3-0 behind in an eventual 5-2 defeat. Vicario, who had been rested for that match, replaced him that night and played the full 90 minutes of the second leg—a 3-2 win that wasn’t enough to prevent a 7-5 aggregate exit.
Since that torrid outing, Kinsky has been dropped from the Czech Republic squad for their World Cup play-off campaign. The January 2025 signing from SK Slavia Prague had initially impressed, keeping a clean sheet on his debut against Liverpool in a League Cup semi-final, and has made 10 appearances in total for the club.
The alternative, Brandon Austin, has not featured at all this season. The 27-year-old, who joined Spurs’ academy in 2007, made his senior debut in January 2025 against Newcastle. He signed a new long-term contract in May 2024 after returning from loan spells at Viborg FF and Orlando City SC.
Broader pressures at Spurs
The goalkeeper crisis adds another layer of complexity for interim boss Igor Tudor. Appointed in February to steer the team until the season’s end, Tudor finally secured his first win in the second leg against Atletico Madrid. Known for a pragmatic approach often utilising a back three, his task is to stabilise a side sitting just one point above Sunday’s opponents, Nottingham Forest, in the relegation scrap.
Off the pitch, Tudor himself has been charged by the Football Association for misconduct regarding comments about a referee after a recent defeat to Fulham.
Vicario’s future in doubt amid Serie A interest
Compounding the immediate sporting concern is significant speculation over Vicario’s long-term future at the club. Reports suggest Inter Milan are closing in on a summer move for the goalkeeper, with a fee of around £17 million discussed.
Inter’s sporting director, Piero Ausilio, recently visited London to establish contact with Vicario’s agent, and the player is said to be keen on a return to Serie A with the Italian giants. His relationship with Tottenham is described as having reached a “low point.” Juventus and Roma are also reportedly interested, despite Vicario’s current contract running until 2028.
For now, Tottenham’s immediate fate may hinge on Vicario’s performance against Forest and the speed of his recovery—or on the ability of his understudy to swiftly redeem a damaged reputation.
