FPL new signings: Verbruggen a threat to Steele

In preparation for the 2023/24 Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion have both secured deals to sign new goalkeepers.

Guglielmo Vicario (£5.0m) has arrived at Spurs from Empoli, while Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) has joined up with Roberto De Zerbi’s troops after three years with Anderlecht.

Here, we assess their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) appeal – or lack of it – in our Scout Report.

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GUGLIELMO VICARIO

Tottenham were in the market for a new goalkeeper, with Hugo Lloris (£5.0m) having only a year left on his contract and recently admitting he is open to the possibility of leaving this summer.

The France international has regressed over the past year, conceding 39 goals in 25 Premier League appearances last season, so the assumption is that Vicario will immediately be installed as Spurs’ new number one.

The Italian, who has joined in a deal worth an initial £17.2m, started his career at Udinese and had spells at Cagliari, Perugia and Venezia before moving to Empoli in July 2021.

He conceded just 39 goals in 31 Serie A appearances last term, keeping seven clean sheets, which are respectable totals with Empoli finishing 14th. He also received his first call-up to the Italy squad last year.

Vicario has described himself as an attacking goalkeeper who is comfortable playing out from the back, traits his new manager Ange Postecoglou will love, given his approach.

He is also an excellent shot-stopper: in 2021/22, he made more saves than any other Serie A goalkeeper and had the fifth-highest save percentage (71.3%) in the division last term.

Stats via FotMob

At 6ft 4in, he’s a commanding presence, but still has fantastic reflexes, saving three penalties in the past couple of seasons.

So, Vicario feels like a good fit for Postecoglou and Spurs, but is he worth buying in FPL?

Defensively, Tottenham conceded a whopping 63 goals in 2022/23 but, in fairness, their 50.39 xGC was sixth-best, with Lloris’ error-prone displays partly responsible. It tells us they weren’t quite as bad as the goals conceded column suggests, but still, it’s probably not the worst idea to stay clear, at least initially.

There are no guarantees Postecoglou will hit the ground running at Spurs, and while the Gameweek 3-5 schedule leaps off the page, the fixtures around it aren’t the best.

Vicario’s £5.0m starting price may deter many, too. Plenty of us FPL managers prefer a £4.5m option, saving the cash to spend on more expensive assets elsewhere.

Therefore, immediate investment in Vicario doesn’t look necessary, although he should prove to be a quality replacement for Lloris and could become an option later in the season.

BART VERBRUGGEN

20-year-old Verbruggen only has one proper season under his belt with Anderlecht but possesses key attributes that should suit Brighton well.

Signed for £16.3m, he made 23 appearances in all competitions last season and kept 10 clean sheets, including eight in 17 league matches. Despite only becoming first choice in December, he won Anderlecht’s player of the year award and received his first call-up to the senior Netherlands squad in March.

Additionally, Verbruggen also reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League last term, impressing against Ludogorets and Villarreal.

He should fit in really well with how De Zerbi wants to play, too.

Verbruggen, who is 6ft 4in, is very good with the ball at his feet, an essential aspect of the Italians’ approach. He’s also a decent stop-stopper and made the third most saves per game in the Belgium top-flight in 2022/23.

“Maybe most of all I like the way they [Brighton] played last season with the manager and the players they have, so I think it’s a good fit. That’s why I decided to come here. Maybe I enjoy that more than saving the ball sometimes, but I’ve always felt quite comfortable with the ball at my feet and I like playing out from the back. I think it’s a perfect fit, so I can’t wait. I’m really happy to be here, I’m really excited. It’s an amazing club with amazing people, so I can’t wait to get started.” – Bart Verbruggen

Given the above, Verbruggen certainly looks to be a decent addition. However, at this stage, it’s unclear if he’s been signed as an immediate starter, or if he’s seen as more of a backup to Jason Steele (£4.5m).

Upon signing, De Zerbi said this:

“I am very pleased to have signed Bart. He is used to playing a type of football similar to ours and he will have no problem fitting into our group. He has the potential to become a very important player for the club in the coming years.” – Roberto De Zerbi

If he’s first choice, Verbruggen will play behind a defence that collected 12 clean sheets last season, a figure which placed them joint-sixth among all Premier League sides.

Notably, they were far more reliable in defence at the Amex, recording nine of their 12 shut-outs in home matches, which could be important given that they start the 2023/24 season with four home games in six.

Until we know if Verbruggen is Brighton’s number one, it’s hard to commit to a full FPL recommendation, but pre-season might tell us more on that front.

The £4.5m price is certainly tempting, but if we don’t get clarity, it might be best to hold off until the first Wildcard, given that the fixtures after Gameweek 3 are a bit iffy.

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