Ange Postecoglou has ruled out the possibility of Tottenham signing a free agent in wake of Guglielmo Vicario's injury. Spurs confirmed on Monday evening that the Italian had undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle.
Vicario sustained the issue in last weekend's 4-0 win over Manchester City but managed to play on for the full game. The news that emerged 24 hours later came as a huge shock and Fraser Forster is now expected to take the Italian's place in goal over the coming months.
Spurs are not short on options when it comes to the goalkeeping department but some fans raised the question about the possibility of the north London club looking at signing a short-term replacement. It is not uncommon for clubs to be given special dispensation to sign an emergency goalkeeper when they have no senior cover in the goalkeeping department.
However, as per the Premier League handbook under rule V.7.6.2, it states: "The temporary transfer of a goalkeeper which in its absolute discretion the board may allow in circumstances it considers to be exceptional." As Vicario is the only senior goalkeeper out injured at present, it is extremely unlikely that it would be classed as "exceptional" circumstances.
In regards to signing possible free agents, football.london understands that any player currently without a club would be able to play right away as there are currently two available spaces in Tottenham's 25-man squad. Even though there is that option there for Postecoglou and Spurs, the Australian has confirmed that is not going to happen.
"Yeah, it's not going to happen," said Postecoglou in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Roma game. "That's why we've got a squad of players. I don't think us signing a free agent now helps us.
"Me naming Fraser in the Europa League squad really looks like a radical decision now doesn't it?"
Vicario's surgery was a major talking point in his press conference and the Spurs boss admitted that the goalkeeper's injury did come as a shock.
"Bit of a shock first of all," he said. "We saw he'd picked up the injury during the game. We saw him at half-time but there was no doubt about continuing. He was a bit sore after the game but still didn't seem anything like that.
"It's testament to the man though and externally people will realise what we see internally. He's hard as nails. Knowing him he'll be pushing his limits to get back and knowing him you'll be getting daily updates on his Instagram."
On a possible return date, he added: "Not really. It's not going to be weeks. It'll be months. He's had his surgery and because it's Vic and I don't like giving timelines as it puts expectations on them. Once we're in the rehab stage we'll know more."