Former Inter star Gianluca Pagliuca believes Guglielmo Vicario is a ‘very good goalkeeper’ but is not ‘top-class’ while Gigio Donnarumma is the best in the world.

La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that Tottenham keeper Vicario is open to joining Inter next summer as the Nerazzurri will be looking for a replacement for Yann Sommer in 2026-27.

“It would be a good idea, with full respect for Sommer,” Pagliuca, a former Inter goalkeeper, told Gazzetta via Fcinter1098.it

‘Vicario not a top-class goalkeeper’

“Yann is a reliable goalkeeper and has experience. I don’t know what Inter want to do, but the fact that he’s been questioned over two mistakes seems a bit excessive to me.”

As for Vicario, the former Italy international seems to have clear ideas: “He’s a very good goalkeeper, the second choice for our national team. He has experience in Italy and also in the Premier League,” Pagliuca said.

“However, I don’t see him as a top-class player yet. He has experience because he’s been between the posts for a long time; he’s 29, but he doesn’t give me the feeling of being a top player.”

Pagliuca, Italy’s starting goalkeeper in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, also praised Inter’s second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez: “I really like him,” he said.

Pagliuca ranks the top three goalkeepers in the world

Lastly, he ranked the top-three goalkeepers in the world: “In an overall ranking of No.1s, I’d put Gigio [Donnarumma] first, then Courtois and then Dibu Martinez, who, I don’t know whether will remain in Birmingham.”

Pagliuca played for Sampdoria, Inter, Bologna and Ascoli in Serie A, collecting 592 appearances in Italy’s top flight.

The former goalkeeper won the Scudetto in 1990-91 with Sampdoria and the 1997-98 UEFA Cup, now Europa League, with Inter.

He retired after spending the last season of his career at Ascoli in 2006-07.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario wants to join Inter next summer, but the Nerazzurri don’t want to pay more than €20m to sign the Italy international.

Italian goalkeeper Vicario is eager to join Inter next summer, according to the latest report of Gazzetta dello Sport.

Vicario wants Inter move

The pink paper had reported in November that Vicario wanted to leave Spurs at the end of the season and that the Nerazzurri were interested in securing his services.

Vicario is grateful to Tottenham but wants to return to Serie A in the summer, so the Nerazzurri will have to negotiate with Spurs, as the goalkeeper’s contract runs out in June 2028.

Vicario a long-time Inter target

According to the report, however, Inter are unwilling to invest more than €20m to sign the former Empoli and Cagliari goalkeeper who was already a Nerazzurri target in 2023, before the 29-year-old completed a permanent move to North London.

Vicario has kept nine clean sheets in 22 Tottenham appearances this season.

He’s Italy second-choice keeper behind Gigio Donnarumma and has five international appearances to his name.

Arne Slot has confirmed that Federico Chiesa should be in a position to return to the Liverpool squad over the weekend after recovering from a bout of illness that kept him out of his side’s 1-0 Champions League win over Inter on Tuesday night. 

Will Chiesa feature in Liverpool vs. Brighton?

The former Juventus and Fiorentina winger had been suffering with flu-like symptoms earlier in the week, which kept him out of the travelling Liverpool squad to take on Inter in San Siro. With Mohamed Salah out of the squad for disciplinary reasons and Cody Gakpo also unavailable midweek, many thought there could have been an opportunity for Chiesa to impress on home soil. 

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday, head coach Slot confirmed that Chiesa should return to the matchday squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday. 

“Federico is not ill anymore. He trained yesterday and he trained today again, so I assume he’s ready to be in the squad tomorrow again,” Slot told the press. 

He also confirmed that Gakpo is still suffering with a muscular injury, and with Salah not expected to feature, there could still potentially be a chance of increased minutes for the Italian this weekend.

Lautaro Martinez is confident that promising Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito will become a ‘pillar’ of the Nerazzurri and the Italy national team: ‘He’s serious and humble.’

Pio Esposito returned to Inter last summer after a two-season loan spell at Serie B side Spezia.

Lautaro: Pio Esposito will ‘become a pillar of Inter and Italy’

A product of the Inter Academy, Esposito has netted three goals and provided three assists in 18 appearances across all competitions this season and even made his senior Italy debut, netting three times in five games with the Azzurri.

“I know him quite well because he comes from the youth sector,” Lautaro told Gazzetta.

“He’s a serious and humble lad. Let’s leave him calm, and he’ll become a pillar of Inter and the Italy national team. Bonny also has strength and quality and is helping us.”

During the same interview, Lautaro argued that the Nerazzurri had suffered an “injustice” in their latest Champions League match against Liverpool: “If you lose due to a referee’s mistake, there’s not much you can do,” he said.

Luka Modric is ‘waiting’ for Italy at the 2026 World Cup as missing out on qualification for the third time in a row ‘would be a tragedy.’

Italy will have to go through the playoffs to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The Azzurri will meet Northern Ireland in the semifinal and the winner between Wales and Bosnia Herzegovina if they progress to the final.

“It would be a tragedy for you to miss a third World Cup in a row,” Modric told Gazzetta.

“I hope Italy qualify because all the best teams will be at the next World Cup and Italy are one of the best, so they have to be there.

“The playoffs are always difficult, but I wish Italy the best of luck in qualifying. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Modric’s Croatia will be in Group L with England, Ghana and Panama, while, if Italy qualify, they’ll meet Canada, Switzerland and Qatar in Group B.

“England are one of the strongest national teams around, but we don’t underestimate anyone. We’re in a difficult group, and we have to prepare well,” said Modric.

“The World Cup is still a long way off, and right now we need to think about the present and about Milan because we want to keep going down this path.”

• Read more – Modric ‘surprised’ by Allegri, Milan the ‘biggest Italian club’

Tuttosport newspaper reports that Davide Frattesi’s agent has held preliminary talks with Juventus as the Inter midfielder seeks more playing time.

Juventus have reportedly resumed talks with Beppe Riso, the agent of Inter midfielder Frattesi.

The Italy international has been struggling with playing time this season, falling down Cristian Chivu’s pecking order.

Frattesi seeks more playing time

According to Tuttosport, the midfielder’s representative recently held talks with the Old Lady, who had already set her sights on the 26-year-old in previous years.

The Turin-based paper reports that Frattesi’s agent met Juventus representatives at the club’s headquarters.

Even if those directly involved described the meeting as a courtesy visit, it’s highly possible that the two parties made an initial approach ahead of the January transfer window.

Frattesi has only collected 480 minutes of football across all competitions this season, providing two assists in Coppa Italia against Serie B side Venezia.

Strong bond between Frattesi and Spalletti

However, his contract expires in June 2028 and Inter will be reluctant to sell the midfielder to a direct rival, so their asking price won’t be below €35m.

Frattesi is open to leaving Inter next month and is on good terms with Luciano Spalletti. The Inter midfielder was the best Italy scorer during the Tuscan coach’s tenure, finding the net seven times.