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Extended Clip - Who is Guglielmo Vicario? Empoli Star & Italy’s Next Great Goalkeeper
1.2k Plays3 years ago
After a fantastic season with Empoli in the Serie A, Guglielmo Vicario is being linked with a summer move to the biggest Serie A clubs, from Juventus to Roma and Inter Milan after being targeted by Bayern Munich in January. Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese do a profile deep dive and analysis on the player dubbed to be Italy's next great goalkeeper.
This is a clip from the weekly Thursday episode of the Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Introduction to Guglielmo Vicario's Profile
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
00:00:05
Speaker
Let's do a profile. So we do profiles every now and again on lesser-known players and up-and-coming players. And today, we are going to do a profile on emply goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has been, for me, the best goalkeeper in Serie A this season, over the course of the season, in terms of consistency. I'm a big fan of this goalkeeper.
Vicario's Impressive Goalkeeping Stats
00:00:28
Speaker
I think he's going to join a big club in the summer. He's very, very commanding. He's got a big frame, six foot four inches.
00:00:35
Speaker
but his stats back up right how good he's been this season. He's got the most big saves in Serie A this season so he's an excellent shot stopper. He's got the fourth highest shot save percentage in Serie A this season among the goalkeepers that play regularly and he's a penalty expert. He saved three of five penalties this season. He saved five penalties last season
00:01:01
Speaker
And he saved 11 from 36 penalties in his career, which is way above average. Remember that the average for scoring a penalty is 0.8, 0.79 to 0.8, 79 to 80% of penalties.
00:01:17
Speaker
are scored so he's way above the average there and he reads the game very well
Modern Goalkeeping Skills
00:01:27
Speaker
as well. He's got the most interceptions for a goalkeeper in Serie A this season so obviously we talk about sweeper keepers and how important it is for a goalkeeper to come off his line and read the game. He goes in just with how commanding he is, very commanding of his box and he's also again another modern
00:01:44
Speaker
phenomenon with goalkeepers is being able to be good with your feet and he's fourth in Serie A for accurate passes and he's second in Serie A for goalkeepers for accurate foot passes. So again, shows that he is comfortable with the ball at his feet. So yeah, I think he ticks most of the boxes. I think very complete goalkeeper. I think I'm a big fan of him. I'm a big fan of him as well, absolutely. And I think if Inter were to receive a big money offer for Andrea Onona, they would consider that offer.
00:02:13
Speaker
But first, because there's a replacement in Guglielmo Vicario, who they look at and go, actually, there's something we can do. And obviously, Onana has more international pedigree, having played at the highest levels of the Champions League. He's probably the best goalkeeper of the Champions League this season, Onana. So there is a difference there. But I think he is an option. He's the right age as well. If I'm not mistaken, he turns 27 in October.
00:02:41
Speaker
And I like him a lot. I think I like the steps that he's taken.
Personal Life and Nickname
00:02:48
Speaker
He says he's inspired by his primary inspiration as a goalkeeper is Samir Handanovic.
00:02:56
Speaker
His nickname is Venom Vicario. Interesting. I mean, you're not a big, what do you call it? Like a comic book guy. No. I think they are called referring to him as Venom because of the Spider-Man character. Yeah, like in that character in that comic strip.
00:03:23
Speaker
He also, as a little side note, he has a Ukrainian family living with him, Ukrainian family refugees living with him since the war broke out from since March of 2022.
Interest from Top Clubs
00:03:39
Speaker
He's an interesting character. He's in the right age, and I think he is now or never. I think everyone is looking at him. I know Milan aren't because they have the best goalkeeper in the world,
00:03:49
Speaker
But I think both Juve and Internet Roma are all looking at him and going, hmm. No, he's much like, he was, Bayern Munich were looking at him in January. When Manuel Neuer broke his, what did he break? Was his arm always leg he broke in the skiing accident? I think it was his leg. So he was out for the rest of the season. Bayern needed to bring in a goalkeeper, but they were looking at him. They were looking at Nicario. In the end they went for,
00:04:16
Speaker
the Swiss goalie, whose name I've completely forgotten now. That's it. Sommar. Sommar. Jan Sommar. Yeah, they went for Jan Sommar in the end. He's a little bit older. I think he's like 33, 34. But yeah, Vicario, they were looking at him. So he is somebody that is very, very well appreciated.
00:04:34
Speaker
And, you know, like I said, I've shown you the stats there. The stats don't lie. No, they don't. You watch him play. He has that. What I like about him is he has an intimidating nature. He has a commanding aura about him. And I think that's very important with the goalkeepers. Obviously, you have to back it up with what you do on the pitch. But I always feel like the very best goalkeepers, they have that presence about them. And, you know, Buffon had it. Toldo had it.
00:05:01
Speaker
Yeah. All the big ones. Every single one. Every single one.
Financial Implications for Inter
00:05:07
Speaker
I thought it was funny because I've been on this for a couple of months now about if an offer comes in from a Nana, given the situation in Turorin, they should, you know, if a big money offer 50, 50, 60 million comes in, I think Intel should sell that and they should try to get, they should get Vicario for about
00:05:23
Speaker
If you're talking about Inter financially, it makes sense. Obviously, you'd want to keep on Nana because he's been fantastic this season. But there is interest in on Nana from big Premier League teams and if they were to get 50, 60 million even more, I'd sell it for him. I think this is ridiculously low from what I've heard, but I've seen talk
00:05:44
Speaker
that Vicario is going to be available for 15 to 20 million, which sounds crazy low for me. I mean, I think he should be 30. But anyway, if you can sell Anana for 50 million and buy Vicario even for 20, you're making a 30 million profit.
00:06:00
Speaker
And you're going to goalkeeper. For a goalkeeper who, for me, is probably on the same level. I mean, you might put Onana high because he's got high international and European experience and pedigree. But in terms of actual, you know, again, like I said, look at Serie A this season, he's been the best goalkeeper in Serie A. And I look at his overall potential and his attributes and his numbers. You know, you're buying a goalkeeper that can be just as good, if not better than Onana. So, I mean, financially, it makes sense. It really does. And also he'll be making less money than Onana as well.
00:06:28
Speaker
because he won't be answering as much. And also this is when I interviewed when we interviewed Paliuca on Sempreinta, this is why I asked him that because I was kind of anticipating this about what I think we interviewed Paliuca a week or two ago. And I anticipated this and he said he was very clear. He thinks I'm not as fantastic. But if a big if a crazy offer, according to Paliuca said 100 million comes before Nana, I'd sell him and I'd replace him with Ikaru.
00:06:55
Speaker
Yeah, pretty much. I would take him at Juventus as
Future Prospects at Top Clubs
00:06:57
Speaker
well. I mean, I think Chesney has been much improved in 2023. I think he had a shaky start to the season, but he has been much, much better. But again, you look at his age and his contract runs out in 2024. I mean, I think that, yeah, I think Vicario, I think Vicario is good enough to make it at one of the big, big three. I mean, obviously Milan, it's not going to happen as they've got Manon.
00:07:18
Speaker
But who knows with Manon as well, you know, a Premier League club might come in for Manon and bid 80 million and then again, it's not bad. It's not a bad replacement for Manon. I mean, I don't think anyone can replace Manon, he's that good. But, you know, again, I think Vicario is good enough to play for any of the big three. And I think he will go this summer. I think he will. We think Empoli will sell him and I think they will sell Parisi this summer and they will keep Balconzi.