Do Tottenham need to replace Vicario with an elite keeper signing in January to reach top four? | OneFootball

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is in the spotlight after being booed by his own fans in the aftermath of his latest error – but does an upgrade need to come in at the earliest opportunity in January?

Vicario was at fault for Fulham’s second goal in their win over Tottenham at the weekend and it wasn’t received well by some supporters. There have already been some questions marks over the Italian’s future as Spurs’ first-choice goalkeeper and those doubts are only being amplified now.

Sources have confirmed that Vicario has attracted the attention of Inter Milan for a potential return to Serie A, after already making clear that Spurs have been considering bringing in fresh competition between the sticks.

But should such a change be made in the January transfer window?

Our writers debate whether Spurs need to replace Vicario with an upgrade in order to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

James Holland

Spurs must replace Vicario next month if they are to succeed during Frank’s first season in charge and gain Champions League qualification.

Yes, Vicario’s shot-stopping abilities are excellent, and he has become a more commanding presence in his box, but he is still capable of the occasional howler.

The Italian does not have the reliable, split-second decision-making required to be one of the best keepers in the world.

His mistake against Fulham was extremely poor – he had two opportunities to put the ball out of play but instead gifted possession straight to Josh King.

Spurs should look to move on from Vicario in January by submitting a bid for Mike Maignan.

The Frenchman is a clear upgrade on Vicario, and AC Milan will have to sell him for a reduced price in January as his contract is running down.

James Marshment

I think Vicario is a really good keeper, but not in that truly elite level that all the best teams have. I look at Alisson at Liverpool, Gigi Donnarumma at Man City and I don’t think he’s anywhere near that level.

And while he is considered a leader at Spurs, that blunder against Fulham at the weekend tells you exactly why Spurs will ultimately need better if they are re-establish themselves among the top four sides in England.

A move for James Trafford, I believe, takes them up a level and he’s been ridiculously unfortunate by the situation he finds himself in at City, meaning a move is certainly in the player’s best interests.

If the money is right, Spurs should absolutely get that done; Vicario cost them dear on Saturday and sadly, it’s not the first time!

Subhankar Mondal

I am going to sound a bit like Paul Merson now. Guglielmo Vicario was playing for Empoli when Tottenham Hotspur signed him. If Vicario was that good, then a bigger club in Italy or elsewhere would have snapped him up – he would not have ended up at Tottenham, and I do not mean this with any disrespect to Spurs whatsoever.

While Vicario has proven to be a Premier League-level goalkeeper, he is not overly reliable when it comes to crosses and does not command his penalty area well. The Italy international goalkeeper has proven time and time again that he is not a great shot-stopper. The 29-year-old is good enough for a mid-table Premier League club or as a back-up for a top-four team, but not the number one for Spurs.

If Tottenham are to become regulars in the Champions League and eventually challenge for the Premier League title, they need a better and more reliable goalkeeper whom the defenders can rely upon to make important saves and have their back.

Fraser Fletcher

Yes I think they do. Vicario has been excellent but he isn’t elite level. They need more than that though, they do not have enough quality at the top end of the park and need to seriously invest there before looking at the goalkeeper.

Samuel Bannister

Tottenham would be best off waiting until the summer to make a change in their goalkeeping department, unless an offer comes in for Vicario that’s too good to turn down.

Replacing a first-choice goalkeeper is a bold move and the kind of business that rarely happens midway through a season.

Vicario is a good goalkeeper who was doing well for Empoli and would have left a few bigger Italian clubs wondering why they didn’t go for him when Spurs did.

What happened at the weekend is a reminder that he isn’t elite, but depending on how the market develops, Spurs should stick with Vicario for the rest of the season.

If they miss out on the top four, it won’t be because of one isolated issue, since they have as many problems at the other end of the pitch as they do in goal at the moment.

A better goalkeeper wouldn’t harm their chances and they do remain outsiders in the race for the top four, but I don’t see Vicario as enough of a problem to require an urgent solution – more one to monitor over the first half of 2026.

Nathan Egerton

Vicario was largely at fault for Tottenham’s defeat to Fulham after the goalkeeper came out of his penalty area and inexplicably cleared the ball infield instead of out for a throw.

His failed clearance eventually fell to Harry Wilson, who curled the ball from the touchline into the empty net.

But it’s not his first mistake of the season as the Italy international also made an error leading to a goal in their 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Without those mistakes, Spurs could have an additional three points on the board and be sat in seventh place instead of 12th.

He has also faced criticism for not fully commanding his penalty area and if it wasn’t for a brilliant clearance from Micky van de Ven, Spurs may not have won the Europa League last season.

While the goalkeeper has also had some strong performances, he is far too inconsistent and they need to sign a more reliable no.1.