Fulignati in pole position for the goalkeeper guessing game. The hunt is on for who will defend the Empoli posts

After the farewell of Devis Vasquez, who was not redeemed from his loan by Milan and has already returned to Lombardy to play for the Rossoneri, and that of Marco Silvestri who was instead released after neither Empoli nor Sampdoria confirmed his place in the team, the Monteboro club is about to begin preparations for the new season with many doubts still remaining about a fundamental role such as that of goalkeeper, having only Jacopo Seghetti in the squad, a promising talent from San Miniato who has already taken to the field with the blue jersey on five occasions, who made a good impression against Torino in the Coppa Italia when, in his debut among the big teams, he saved the result on several occasions and allowed Empoli to begin a wonderful journey in the competition, which was only stopped in the semi-final.

The former Empoli coach Roberto D'Aversa, after the victory on penalties in the Coppa Italia against Fiorentina – when he saved a penalty from Ranieri – had this to say about him: "We have to be good at helping him grow and helping him overcome his mistakes: even if he hasn't made any yet, but in view of when that happens".

Instead, not even Serie B seems to be able to give Seghetti the continuity he would need to best develop his potential between the posts: the latest news has him being strongly sought after by Livorno, fresh from promotion to Serie C, to give him a taste of his first, real season as a professional and as 'number one'.

So, if Seghetti leaves, a starting goalkeeper must necessarily come in, with the roles of second and third goalkeeper occupied by Federico Brancolini and, probably, by Lovro Stubljar, a Slovenian born in 2004 who played half the season at Celje and the other half in his homeland, at Domzale.

Last year's third goalkeeper, Samuele Perisan, was released after his contract was not renewed. So who will defend the goalposts for Empoli next season?

The goalkeeping game is still open and could bring some surprises as well as confirm the rumors that are circulating.

The main suspects are two and, incredibly, they have already played at Castellani in the same year.

In fact, the name in pole position for days has been that of Andrea Fulignati, an expert goalkeeper born in '94 in Empoli and trained in the Monteboro youth team, who then returned 'home' in the 2018-19 season, when however he never took the field having two very respectable goalkeepers in front of him, such as Ivan Provedel and... Pietro Terracciano.

He is the latest hot name at Empoli: Fiorentina have in fact found their starting goalkeeper in David de Gea, and it seems that the 2006-born Tommaso Martinelli has refused loan offers from Serie B - there seemed to be strong interest from Spezia in him - to remain as the Spanish champion's assistant.

This would officially close the doors to Terracciano, who could therefore accept a return to Empoli in order to find continuity on the pitch.

The next few days will be decisive for the choice of Empoli's goalkeeper for the new 2025/2026 season.

Damiano Nifosì