Tottenham Hotspur have earmarked Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as a possible replacement for Guglielmo Vicario, according to Graeme Bailey.
Since arriving from Empoli in the summer of 2023, Vicario has held the No. 1 spot for Spurs, amassing 94 appearances in all competitions, conceding 132 goals, and recording 23 shut-outs.
The Italian shot-stopper endured a turbulent campaign, mixing exceptional displays with costly, inexperienced mistakes.
On the other hand, second-choice goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky has had minimal involvement, featuring only on two occasions in the Carabao Cup, where they crashed out in the fourth round.
With a run of poor results and a drop in form across individual performances, Spurs are looking to make adequate reinforcements, including in the goalkeeping department, with Verbruggen now eyed.
This is according to Graeme Bailey, who claims that Tottenham are monitoring several goalkeeping options and are ‘huge admirers’ of Brighton’s Verbruggen.
Writing on TEAMtalk, the journalist claims that incessant errors by first-choice shot-stopper Vicario have put enormous pressure on him, and that he is now attracting interest from clubs abroad, including AC Milan.
As a result, Spurs have been evaluating several goalkeepers and previously reported the club’s interest in Manchester City’s James Trafford.
Shotstopper
The latest to be linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is Verbruggen, according to TEAMtalk, which claims that the 6ft 4in shotstopper has ‘hugely impressed’ the North London outfit ahead of a possible move in 2026, with Bayern Munich also interested.
The report adds that while Brighton are aware it’ll be a daunting task to keep the 23-year-old at the AMEX Stadium beyond the current season, they remain keen on retaining the goalkeeper amid interest from Tottenham.
Fulham’s second strike last Saturday stemmed from yet another mistake by Vicario, as he rushed beyond his box while in possession and then handed the ball straight to the hosts with a mis-hit clearance.
Some Tottenham fans voiced their frustration moments later, greeting the 29-year-old with boos the next time the ball came his way.
Although he kept his position for Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle, uncertainty still surrounds his long-range prospects at Spurs, and the lack of visible progress has pushed the club to explore alternative options, which include Verbruggen.
Brighton have shown their toughness in negotiations over their key players. Hence, Spurs will need to submit a substantial offer, as the Sussex-based outfit will demand a fee well above his £30m Transfermarkt valuation.
