Changing of the Guard in Goal? Roma Could Look to Guglielmo Vicario

In addition to Roma's perpetual pursuit of serviceable full-backs, one consistent theme of our transfer coverage over the past several years has been the club's search for a permanent successor to Wojciech Szczesny and Alisson Becker. After providing three years of stellar play between the sticks, Woj and The Brazilian Don Draper moved on to greener pastures, leaving Roma to cycle through a litany of less-than-ideal shot-stoppers.

From Robin Olsen to Antonio Mirante to Rui Patricio to Daniel Fuzato to Mile Svilar, the Giallorossi have cast a wide net in search of a stable and reliable goalkeeper. While Rui Patricio had a solid debut season with the club, the 34-year-old veteran has taken several steps backward this season, ranking middle of the pack or worse in a host of standard and advanced goalkeeping metrics, while Svilar's recent cameo in Japan left much to be desired.

Accordingly, the rumor mill has now linked Roma to their next keeper of the future: Empoli's Guglielmo Vicario. A 26-year-old Udine native, Vicario joined the Azzurri from Cagliari before the 2021-2022 season and has compiled a 14-16-23 (W-D-L) record while keeping 12 clean sheets in 53 league appearances.

At 6'4", Vicario brings considerable size to the position, but he's not merely a lumbering beast in goal. Through his first 15 appearances, Vicario ranks in the top 10 in the following categories: clean sheets, clean sheet %, saves, crosses stopped, passes greater than 40 yards, and PSxG +/-.

With Patricio aging and Svilar struggling, the Gazzetta dello Sport has linked the Giallorossi to Vicario, who is rumored to cost €10 million. According to the GdS, Roma will face stiff competition from Juventus for Vicario's signature. Still, there is a lot to like about this kid, and with Roma by no means married to Patricio or Svilar, he could very well steal the job next season.

Stay tuned.