The Tottenham Hotspur head coach has been speaking about the Swedish star and his goalkeeper ahead of the Premier League game against Leeds United
Roberto De Zerbi has made it clear that Guglielmo Vicario remains Tottenham’s number one goalkeeper but could not say whether he will be at the club next season and has provided an update on Dejan Kulusevski.
The Italian stopper has been out of action for Spurs since March following hernia surgery and is yet to play under the new Spurs head coach. In his absence, 23-year-old Antonin Kinsky has bounced back from his nightmare in the Champions League at Atletico Madrid to put in a string of solid displays.
Vicario is yet to return to training with the team but De Zerbi made it clear that when he does, the 29-year-old will retain his place.
“Vicario is still the first goalkeeper of Tottenham, because what Vicario showed this season is enough to consider him a top player for us. But we have to consider the physical condition, the period – how many games he missed and we will see when Vicario will be good,” said the Spurs boss before lavishing praise on Kinsky.
“Big character, big personality. Great guy, great professional, and great goalkeeper. He’s playing very well, he has to stay with the focus and don’t take risks in any situation, but he is playing very well and is very important for us now.
“Of course he is an example. Of course what he felt after Madrid, for sure, was a big, big motivation for him. If you have pride, if you have dignity, if you have the right spirit, if you have character, and he has all these values.”
Vicario has been strongly linked with a return to Italy and Inter Milan, with reports in his homeland claiming the goalkeeper has already agreed personal terms with the Serie A giants. While De Zerbi has made it clear that he “100 per cent” wants Tottenham to bring the on-loan Joao Palhinha back next season, he was unwilling to commit on Vicario’s future at the club.
“I don’t know. If you ask me if I’ve any ideas about next season, my answer is no,” said the head coach. “For two reasons, one, I have no time to think about next season, and two, after two wins if I lose time thinking about next season’s squad I am being arrogant. You think after two wins, after a very tough period, you already consider yourself safe? No, no.”
One player that De Zerbi was able to give an update on was Dejan Kulusevski. The Tottenham boss is hopeful that the Swede will be back in the country after undergoing rehabilitation abroad and can join his team-mates at the final match of the Premier League season.
Kulusevski has been out of the country as part of his rehabilitation from the knee problem that has kept him out for more than a year after getting surgery on his patella. The attacker had a small procedure in March to clean out his knee and told reporters in his homeland back then that he had his sights set on playing at the World Cup for Sweden this summer.
The 26-year-old is unlikely to play for Tottenham this season, but De Zerbi said that after a text exchange with the player, he could be returning soon to at least be around the squad for morale on matchdays, like Ben Davies and James Maddison have been doing recently.
When asked if he thought Kulusevski could still play at the World Cup next month, De Zerbi said: “I don’t know the situation well. I hope so but I don’t know his injury and I can’t say nothing more. For me, it’s difficult to understand how he can play at the World Cup if he didn’t play any games this season.
“But I texted him after [the Villa game]. He told me in the next week, I think, he comes back and I hope he can be available to stay with us in the last game because he is an amazing player.”
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De Zerbi did have a positive update on Richarlison who was not spotted in training during at least one session in the middle of this week after coming off late in the win at Villa Park following a battling, goalscoring display.
“Yes [he needed a rest] because he worked very hard in Birmingham. I think my mistake was not to substitute him before the end of the game,” said the Tottenham boss. “But Richarlison was playing very well, he was important in the set-pieces and he played a great game. But just fatigue.”
Another decision for De Zerbi on Monday lies in whether Maddison finally gets his first minutes on the pitch since his anterior cruciate ligament injury nine months ago in pre-season. The England midfielder has been on the bench for the past three matches but simply to be part of the squad and bring his experience.
There is a feeling that the game against Leeds could be the one that brings the 29-year-old’s return and De Zerbi admits it’s a tough decision.
“It’s not so easy. Maddison has big experience, I think he knows better than anyone when is the right moment. We have to consider we are fighting for a big target but I think he can be important for us and for that I wanted him to be with the team for Brighton, Wolves and Villa,” he said.
Radu Dragusin played 45 minutes last year in a behind-closed-doors friendly before returning from his ACL injury but De Zerbi said Maddison will not do the same.
“No, no. Now he stays with us until the end [of the season]. He is working very well, very hard and working with us. He reached the best condition to play,” he said.
So has Maddison told his head coach that he ready to play yet?
“Not yet but we have not spoken about his condition. Just looking on the pitch and to [hear about] his experience, my experience and the experience of the medical staff. Every day we make a check and this check is also [with] Maddison,” explained De Zerbi.
De Zerbi has turned to experience in his midfield in recent games as he looks to get the north London club out of their relegation dogfight, while acknowleding that young players like Archie Gray are huge prospects for the future and potential captain material at Tottenham.
“Bissouma, Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, they have much experience. They already know about playing in this situation,” said the Italian. “But sometimes it’s not just the age to make the difference. Lucas Bergvall is another important player for the future, for right now.
“It’s not a problem just of experience. For sure, the experience can be important in this part of the season.”
On Bentancur, he added: “He’s very good to keep the order, the balance, of the team. I think he’s complete with a player like Palhinha because Palhinha covers a big space. He’s another key player for us, Rodrigo Bentancur.”
De Zerbi believes 20-year-old Bergvall has a big part to play with Gray, both now and for the foreseeable future.
“We can compare Lucas and Archie, but he has to stay focused to stay positive, because I have a big confidence in them,” he said. “They have not played so much until now, but they are in my head. I don’t forget them. They can become important in these three games.”
