Tottenham Hotspur summer sale breaks silence on dressing room issues amid Roberto De Zerbi comments
Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has offered a candid glimpse into the fractured dressing room he was a part of at Spurs
Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has opened up on his summer departure to Juventus, as well as admitting the dressing room was 'not aligned' last season.
The 29-year-old Italian spent three seasons in North London after making the switch from Empoli in 2023. During his spell with the club, Vicario established himself as Tottenham's No. 1, making 81 appearances across all competitions.
However, his general level of consistency could not shield the team from a dismal 2025/26 campaign. Tottenham endured one of the most damaging seasons in their recent history, finishing 17th in the Premier League and narrowly escaping relegation to the Championship.
Vicario: 'Spurs dressing room was not aligned last season'
As part of an extensive summer overhaul aimed at resetting the culture, Vicario was allowed to return to Serie A by head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who had chosen not to field the goalkeeper during the final stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.
Speaking to Sky Italia, the goalkeeper has expressed his gratitude towards De Zerbi, revealing that the manager acted with transparency when the opportunity to join Juventus materialised.
“I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus,” Vicario said. “With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him.”
While Vicario held no grudges against De Zerbi, his comments regarding the wider team environment shed light on the deeper issues that undermined Tottenham’s league campaign.
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Whispers of squad divisions, cliques, and conflicting agendas had lingered throughout their fight for survival, and the goalkeeper's reflection effectively confirms that key figures inside the building were pulling in opposite directions.
Acknowledging the dysfunction without going into detail, Vicario admitted: “There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now.”
Vicario’s departure was symbolic of a broader summer clear-out under De Zerbi, who actively dismantled a squad that proved unfit for purpose last term. As Vicario embarks on a fresh chapter in Turin, Tottenham face a significant rebuilding task, particularly after their start to the new league season, sitting third from bottom in the Premier League after three matches.
Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.
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