Juventus turn to Guglielmo Vicario as negotiations for Emiliano Martínez remain stalled
Juventus have stepped up their search for a new first-choice goalkeeper, with Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur increasingly emerging as the main alternative to Emiliano Martínez. According to a report by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport published on 22 July 2026, the Turin club have still not managed to narrow the gap with Aston Villa over the Argentina international and are therefore developing other options in parallel. In that context, Vicario has been identified as the most concrete plan B, while Freiburg's Noah Atubolu has also emerged among the additional candidates. None of the possible deals has yet been officially confirmed, and Juventus, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Freiburg have not announced that an agreement has been reached. The situation must therefore still be viewed as an open process in which the price, transfer structure and the players' willingness to change clubs are being examined.
Aston Villa refuse to budge over Martínez
Martínez remains Juventus' preferred option because of his experience, authority and quality at the highest level, but the obstacle is reaching an agreement with Aston Villa. La Gazzetta dello Sport states that the English club are demanding approximately €12 million, an amount Juventus are currently unwilling to accept. The same source writes that an agreement in principle has already been reached with the player, although that information has not been confirmed by an official statement from any of the parties involved. Aston Villa hold a strong position in the negotiations because the Argentine goalkeeper signed a new contract until 2029 in August 2024. The long-term deal means that the Birmingham club are under no immediate pressure to sell and can insist on their own financial terms.
The timeframe creates additional uncertainty. According to the Italian sports daily, Martínez is entitled to a holiday after completing his international duties before returning to club training, so any direct talks could be prolonged. Juventus, on the other hand, want to resolve the goalkeeper issue before the start of the new Serie A season and avoid a situation in which an important position remains unsettled until the final days of the transfer window. That is precisely why the club are not merely waiting for developments in the negotiations with Aston Villa but are simultaneously checking the availability of other candidates. Such an approach does not mean Juventus have definitively given up on Martínez, but rather that the management are trying to reduce the risk if negotiations remain stalled. At this moment, it is unclear whether Aston Villa would agree to a lower fixed fee supplemented by bonuses or continue to demand the full amount.
Martínez has been at Aston Villa since 2020 and has established himself as one of the team's key players. His international reputation grew further after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, while in Birmingham he has remained an important part of the project that returned the club to the top level of European football. It is precisely this combination of contractual security, sporting importance and profile that explains why Aston Villa have no need to accept an offer quickly. For Juventus, his arrival would represent the choice of an experienced goalkeeper ready to take on a leading role immediately, but it would also be a more financially demanding operation because of his salary, transfer fee and the length of a possible contract. The Turin club must therefore assess whether short-term security justifies investing in a player who will turn 34 in September 2026.
Vicario becomes the most realistic alternative
If a deal for Martínez is not possible, Vicario is currently considered a more serious candidate than the other names on the list. The Italian goalkeeper knows Serie A from his spells at Cagliari and Empoli, and he joined Tottenham in the summer of 2023. According to the London club's official data, he had made 117 appearances in all competitions by the end of the 2025/26 season. Tottenham describe him as a reliable goalkeeper and point out that he was a regular choice during his first three seasons, although injuries kept him off the pitch for certain periods. The contract he signed upon his arrival runs until 2028, so in his case as well, a potential buyer has no negotiating advantage arising from an imminent expiry of the agreement.
Vicario will turn 30 in October 2026, which makes him a longer-term solution compared with Martínez. At the same time, he has experience in the Premier League, European competitions and with the Italian national team, for whom he had made five appearances by the end of the 2025/26 club season, according to Tottenham's official biography. His possible return to Italy would not require an adjustment period to the language, football culture or the demands of Serie A. That is an important factor for a club seeking a goalkeeper capable of immediately coping with the pressure in Turin. Vicario is also left-footed, while his reactions on the goal line and experience of playing in a team that frequently builds attacks from the back fit the profile of a modern goalkeeper.
Reports about his availability, however, are not entirely consistent. La Gazzetta dello Sport states that Juventus want to persuade Tottenham to accept a loan with an option to buy, which would allow them to spread the cost and retain the possibility of assessing the player over the course of the season. Some British sources claim Tottenham are prepared to listen to offers but would prefer to resolve his status permanently rather than accept a straightforward loan without firm guarantees. The original information also mentions the possibility of an obligation to buy, although the latest Italian report primarily refers to an option to buy. The precise formula therefore remains a potential subject of negotiations, and it has not currently been officially confirmed that Tottenham have accepted any Juventus proposal.
According to a TEAMtalk report from 21 July, Vicario is open to returning to Italy, while Napoli are also reportedly interested in his situation. That interest could influence the dynamics of the negotiations because Tottenham do not have to speak with only one potential buyer. In such a scenario, Juventus would have to decide quickly whether they want to formally move for the goalkeeper or keep him as a backup option while they continue trying to sign Martínez. Waiting too long would increase the possibility of another club agreeing terms before the Turin management. On the other hand, giving up too early on the Argentine goalkeeper could close the door on a player whom the coaching staff, according to media reports, still consider their first choice.
Why Juventus are looking for a new first-choice goalkeeper at all
Juventus already have Michele Di Gregorio, Mattia Perin and Carlo Pinsoglio in their current squad, while La Gazzetta writes that four goalkeepers are training during pre-season. Despite this, the same source states that the club do not consider the first-choice goalkeeper position for the 2026/27 season to have been definitively resolved. Di Gregorio arrived in Turin from Monza in 2024 after being named Serie A's best goalkeeper, and Juventus' official website highlights his reflexes and quality with the ball at his feet. According to club data displayed on the player's profile, he recorded 30 league appearances and 13 clean sheets in the listed seasonal statistics. The search for a new goalkeeper therefore does not automatically mean that Di Gregorio will be sold, but it clearly shows that a new hierarchy is being considered.
Coach Luciano Spalletti, who extended his contract with Juventus until June 2028 in April 2026, enters the pre-season period with a mandate to continue building the team according to his own requirements. For goalkeepers, that does not involve only saves, but also security in passing, decision-making under pressure, control of the space behind the defence and communication with the back line. Martínez, Vicario and Atubolu offer different combinations of those qualities, experience and market value. Martínez would be a solution aimed at immediate results, Vicario represents a medium-term option with experience in two major leagues, while Atubolu is a younger project with greater development potential. The choice will therefore also reveal the club's broader strategy: whether Juventus are seeking an established star or a goalkeeper whose value can be maintained and increased.
The financial structure is also important. A loan with an option to buy would reduce the initial burden in the current transfer window, but it would leave Tottenham with the risk that Vicario could return after one season. An obligation to buy, especially if linked to easily achievable conditions, would be closer to a permanent sale for the English club, while Juventus could postpone the largest part of the payment. A direct transfer would provide the cleanest solution but would require a larger immediate outlay. Because of those differences, it is not enough for the clubs to agree only on the total value; they must also negotiate payment deadlines, bonuses, the conditions for activating clauses and personal terms with the player.
Atubolu is a younger and cheaper, but currently less likely option
Noah Atubolu has emerged as an additional name in Juventus' search, but the available information indicates that he is currently not ahead of Vicario. La Gazzetta states that the 24-year-old goalkeeper has been offered to the Turin club and that the management are monitoring him, but he has not yet fully convinced the decision-makers. Freiburg, meanwhile, have publicly confirmed that Atubolu is in talks with other clubs and has decided to pursue a different path after unsuccessful negotiations over a contract extension. Sporting director Jochen Saier stated at the start of pre-season that the club respect his decision and expect an amicable departure. Such a public message differs significantly from the more closed situation surrounding Martínez because it confirms that Freiburg are prepared to consider the departure of their goalkeeper.
Atubolu was born in Freiburg on 25 May 2002, is 191 centimetres tall and has been in the club's system since 2015, according to official data from the German top-flight side. He progressed through Freiburg's academy and development team before taking on an important role in the first team. His age and physical profile make him attractive to clubs seeking a long-term investment, but a move to Juventus would bring significantly greater pressure and demands than his current environment. Unlike Martínez and Vicario, he does not have extensive Premier League experience or several years of senior international status. That is precisely why any potential transfer would probably be viewed as a development project, even if he immediately competed for a place in the team.
Freiburg have already prepared for a change between the posts. On 23 May 2026, the club announced the arrival of Germany Under-21 international Mio Backhaus from Werder and presented him at the start of the new pre-season as their new man between the posts. That further confirms that Atubolu's departure is realistic, although his next destination has not been determined. Media reports have also linked him with Premier League clubs, meaning Juventus are not the only possible option. In such competition, the player's decision regarding his preferred league and guaranteed playing time could be just as important as the transfer fee offered.
A decision is expected before the start of the league season
For Juventus, it is crucial that the negotiations do not remain open for too long. A new goalkeeper, especially one arriving from another league, must become familiar with his teammates, defensive patterns and Spalletti's demands before the first competitive matches. Every week of delay shortens the time available for that adjustment and increases the pressure on the existing goalkeepers. At the same time, making a decision too early could lead the club to accept less favourable financial terms. The management are therefore trying to keep several negotiating avenues open, but they will soon have to narrow them down to one main candidate.
As of 23 July 2026, Martínez remains the most ambitious but also the most complicated target. Vicario appears to be the most realistic alternative because he combines experience, knowledge of Italian football and a possible willingness to return to Serie A. Atubolu is an available profile with long-term potential, but for now he appears behind the two more experienced goalkeepers. The final outcome will depend on whether Aston Villa soften their demands, whether Tottenham accept a loan-and-purchase structure and how quickly Juventus want to complete the deal. Until an official offer or confirmation from the clubs emerges, all three routes remain possible, but Vicario's name is moving ever closer to the centre of the Turin club's plans.
Sources:
- La Gazzetta dello Sport – report from 22 July 2026 on the stalled negotiations for Emiliano Martínez and the interest in Guglielmo Vicario and Noah Atubolu (link)
- Tottenham Hotspur – official biography of Guglielmo Vicario, information on his contract, appearances, career and international experience (link)
- Aston Villa – official confirmation that Emiliano Martínez extended his contract until 2029 (link)
- TEAMtalk – report from 21 July 2026 on interest from Juventus and Napoli and Vicario's openness to returning to Italy (link)
- SC Freiburg – official statement on Atubolu's talks with other clubs and the status of the goalkeeper position at the start of pre-season (link)
- SC Freiburg – official confirmation of Mio Backhaus' arrival from Werder for the 2026/27 season (link)
- Juventus – official profile of Michele Di Gregorio with a description of his goalkeeping profile and club statistics (link)
- Juventus – official confirmation of Luciano Spalletti's contract extension until 2028 (link)