Juventus Transfer Market: A Surprise Twist Emerges—Another Unexpected Change of Course for the Goalkeeper
It’s been a hectic few hours at Juventus, but the club finally seems to have resolved the last remaining doubts regarding its new goalkeeper: the chosen player is Guglielmo Vicario. The goalkeeper, born in 1996, has always remained on the Bianconeri management’s radar as the top alternative in case other options fell through. That scenario became a reality after the loan deal for Zion Suzuki—who is headed to Aston Villa—fell through.
The path that led the Bianconeri to this decision was anything but straightforward. In recent weeks, management had explored various avenues, facing a series of rejections and unexpected twists that made the search for a new number one particularly tortuous. Attempts to sign Alisson—who remained at Liverpool—and Mile Svilar—deemed unsellable by Roma despite a 40 million euro offer—had fallen through. Mike Maignan had also been approached without success, underscoring just how hard the club was working to provide Luciano Spalletti with a world-class goalkeeper.
The Suzuki option had long seemed the most promising: PSG and Parma had reached an agreement of around 35 million euros for the Japanese player’s transfer, with the deal including a second phase: a straight loan to Juventus for one season—a formula that also appealed to coach Luis Enrique. However, on August 15, there was a dramatic twist: the demands made by the player’s agents irritated the French side, which decided to halt negotiations. Aston Villa then moved decisively for the Parma goalkeeper, seeking a replacement for Martinez himself.
Before focusing on Suzuki, Juventus had also carefully evaluated Juan Musso. The 32-year-old Argentine, no longer a central figure in Diego Simeone’s plans at Atlético Madrid, had piqued Spalletti’s interest thanks to his extensive experience in Serie A with Udinese and Atalanta. His name had come up especially when Tottenham did not seem open to the loan-to-buy deal favored by the Bianconeri for Vicario. The Musso option was also part of a broader context, potentially linked to ongoing talks between Juventus and Atlético Madrid regarding Nico González, with the two deals potentially ending up on the same negotiating table.
At that point, Juventus re-established contact with Tottenham to bring Vicario back to Italy. The solution the Bianconeri are working on is a loan with an option to buy set at 15 million euros, while the Spurs would also like to receive a loan fee. An important factor in the negotiations is Vicario’s own desire to return to Serie A and wear the Juventus jersey.
Before accelerating talks for Vicario, Juventus had also carefully evaluated Emiliano Martinez. Aston Villa had expressed a willingness to reopen negotiations under more favorable financial terms than those previously proposed. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Juventus had gone so far as to submit an official offer of 7 million euros plus 3 million in bonuses, significantly narrowing the gap with the Villans’ demand, which remained at 10 million in fixed fees. However, what ultimately held the Bianconeri back was the Argentine’s physical condition, as he was dealing with a finger injury and the possibility of needing surgery. Given the costs and uncertainties, the club therefore decided to pursue a different target.
