New Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario almost joined Newcastle United in January before his summer move to North London.
That is according to Vicario's father, who claims both the Magpies and Nottingham Forest tried to sign the 26-year-old during the January transfer window.
Tottenham completed the signing of the goalkeeper from Empoli in a deal worth an initial £17.2m. The Italy international has signed a contract with the club that will run until 2028.
But he could well have moved to England six months earlier, but for Empoli's insistence he would only be sold during the summer transfer window.
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“No, we would not have preferred to see him continue playing in Italy, from our side there was no preclusion,” he told Napoli Magazine, via Sport Witness.
“My wife always wanted to go and study in England, then she had to make other choices. To see her son realising a dream that was his is unimaginable gratification.
“Newcastle and Nottingham Forest had come forward in January, but Empoli wanted to postpone everything until the summer.”
Newcastle are well blessed in the goalkeeper department, having signed England international Nick Pope for just £12million from Burnley last summer.
Previous number ones Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow are still on the club's books, as well as Mark Gillespie and former Liverpool number one Loris Karius - although Darlow, at least, is expected to leave the club this summer.
But United have been linked with younger goalkeepers to provide further backup to Pope, with West Brom's England under-21 international goalkeeper Josh Griffiths being linked with the club in recent weeks.
