Argentina star Dibu Martinez faces competition for Inter move as another Premier League goalkeeper enters frame
With just over a week remaining before the January transfer window closes in Europe, clubs are making their final moves to shape their rosters. Inter Milan are in the market for a goalkeeper and, alongside their reported interest in Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, they have added another Premier League player to their shortlist.
Yann Sommer has been Inter’s starting goalkeeper since 2023, following Andre Onana’s transfer to Manchester United. Since then, the Swiss veteran has made 122 appearances across all competitions and firmly established himself as the club’s No. 1. However, at 37 years old, Sommer is set to see his contract expire this summer.
Given that situation, Inter are looking for a goalkeeper they can build around for the long term. Emiliano Martinez fits that profile, as a proven performer at both club and international level who has been seeking a change of scenery for some time. At 33, the Argentine still has several seasons left at the elite level.
That said, the Italian side is also reportedly evaluating another goalkeeper. “The name at the top of Inter’s wish list for the goalkeeper of the future does indeed hail from the Premier League, but not from Birmingham, home of Aston Villa,” La Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported. “Inter’s favorite, the name they’ve been monitoring not for weeks but for months, is Guglielmo Vicario.”
Vicario’s performances at Tottenham
Guglielmo Vicario arrived in the Premier League in 2023 with the task of replacing Hugo Lloris, who at the time knew his days in England were coming to an end as he prepared for a move to Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer.
Since then, the Italian goalkeeper has made the position his own at Tottenham Hotspur, appearing in 105 matches over three seasons, including the current campaign, which is still ongoing. He won the UEFA Europa League last year, lifting the trophy after a final victory over Manchester United.
Over his two and a half years at the club, Tottenham have been coached by two managers, first Ange Postecoglou and now Thomas Frank, and both have shown confidence in Vicario despite criticism stemming from occasional high-profile mistakes. That trust has helped establish him as a key figure at the club in recent seasons.
Vicario’s advantages over Martinez
Signing Guglielmo Vicario could present several advantages compared to Emiliano Martinez. The most obvious relates to nationality and background. While the Argentine has spent nearly his entire club career in England and has never played in Serie A, Vicario is Italian and competed in his home country for nearly a decade. That gives him an edge in terms of familiarity with the league and language.
Vicario is also significantly younger, at 29 compared to Martinez’s 33. In addition, the Argentine goalkeeper has frequently been in the spotlight for his extroverted and sometimes controversial personality, something not everyone views as ideal for a player of his stature.
On the other hand, it is clear that Vicario does not match the pedigree of his rival. Emiliano Martinez is a multiple-time champion with the Argentina national team, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and has been named the world’s best goalkeeper twice at The Best awards and twice at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.