World Cup fever, but not for everyone. Despite Brazil 2014 just around the corner, our managers are very active on the market front. Because if it's true that the World Cup has always had the power to launch new talent, it's equally true that it raises prices accordingly. In short, it is better to move in time, especially now that austerity is king. For the first official announcements (with a few exceptions) we'll have to wait a few more weeks, but in the meantime let's try to find out how the big names in our championship are organizing themselves.
JUVENTUS
How to improve a team capable of winning the third consecutive championship with 102 points? The question arises spontaneously, yet Agnelli, Marotta and Conte have a duty to give an answer. The idea is to make a "soft" revolution, thus avoiding dismembering the tricolor block, without however risking ending up like Milan 2007 or Inter 2010. There will be a change, both in the game system (from 3 -5-2 to 4-3-3) than in men, especially in reserves. The assault on Europe in fact passes from a strengthening of the second lines, inevitable to make the leap in quality so desired by the black and white people. And given that money is what it is (that is, little, as for everyone else), Marotta and Paratici will try to make the most of all the potential available. Sound money should come from co-ownership deals: Berardi, Gabbiadini, Zaza and Marrone are jewels for sale and only one of them (the first?) could be included in the black and white squad. The excellent transfer of Pogba or Vidal seems to be averted, at least for now, but never say never. Because to get to the famous top players asked by Conte (above all Sanchez) you need money, a lot of money. Or ideas and those, the Italian champion management, are certainly not lacking.
Roma
Different floors on the yellow and red bank of the Tiber. Sabatini and Garcia don't want to revolutionize last season's splendid team, if anything, they want to strengthen it. In fact, next year Roma will have the duty to improve in the league and will also participate in the Champions League. In short, quality reinforcements are urgently needed, few but good, able to continue the good work admired by all. The first has already arrived: it is Seydou Keita, a 34-year-old Malian midfielder taken on a free transfer. Certainly not a name to be placed on the posters of the season ticket campaign, but a good level player able to give breath to Garcia's very titular players. Sabatini then also works on the youth market, which has always been his favorite garden. Santon is very popular, as is Giulio Donati, an Inter-school full-back who emigrated to Leverkusen a year ago. Eyes then on Romulo, this year in great shape in Verona, and on the usual Iturbe, a very admired winger in the Trigoria area. But the Giallorossi sports director also has some fish to fry. Above all Benatia, en route with the club due to the lack of agreement on the salary adjustment. An isolated case, at least so far. Because, unlike a year ago, Roma's players have had a great season, with all the market sirens of the case.
NAPLES
Waiting market for De Laurentiis and Bigon, at least for now. Because the top management of Napoli know how to move and are just waiting for the right moment to give Benitez the promised reinforcements. Of course, there is a lot of curiosity to understand if the Azzurri will focus on some big world players or if they will continue on the line of young people to be valued. The feeling is that we are moving towards the second path, even if perhaps the Spanish coach would have preferred the first. However, it is clear that De Laurentiis cannot throw himself headlong into top players at Mascherano: the price tag is too expensive, as is the salary. The exceptions to the Higuain rule are made only in special cases, this is the law of the blue patron. Which, however, will not be spared, as always. ADL gets excited about emerald green identity cards, that's why Erick Lamela is much more than a suggestion. Already a year ago Napoli tried to buy him from Roma, but then Tottenham's pounds arrived and the dream was placed in the drawer. But now, thanks to Coco's disastrous season, we can try again, perhaps focusing on the loan formula with the right to buy. But Benitez above all asked for reinforcements in midfield: in addition to the aforementioned (and probably unattainable) Mascherano, the names are the usual. They range from Gonalons of Lyon to Sandro of Tottenham, passing through M'Vila of Rubin Kazan. On the other hand, excellent transfers are not foreseen: to date the only one about to leave Naples is Behrami, destined for Inter. No one, on the slopes of Vesuvius, will tear their hair out…
INTER
Now it's serious! After Thursday's closing, which effectively formalized the new Thohir era, Inter are ready to really work on the transfer market. Of course, the 200 million from Goldman Sachs, Unicredit and other international funds will be used to settle the accounts, but the Indonesian's project is starting to take hold, so much so that further funding could soon arrive from abroad. And those would certainly be thrown on the negotiating tables, around forty million more precious than oxygen for Ausilio. Inter needs to be heavily restructured, even in terms of numbers. With the treble flags lowered, it's time to really start again to give Mazzarri a squad capable of aiming for the real objective of the season: the Champions League placement. Having obtained a nice reinforcement in defense (Vidic), the coach is now waiting for it in midfield (both in the middle and on the flanks) and in attack. In the midfield there are many names, from Behrami to M'Vila, passing through Mario Suarez and Luiz Gustavo. In short, the identikit is traced: players of quantity and quality, able to eradicate balls by virtue of Hernanes and Kovacic. In attack, the goal is a first striker, someone like Hernandez from Manchester United or his homonymous colleague from Palermo. The Osvaldo slope should not be underestimated, even if linked to very favorable economic conditions. Pay attention to Ranocchia on the way out: the club has offered him a contract renewal and captaincy, he is a niche. Antonio Conte is behind this reflection, so woe to let your guard down…
MILAN
The Milan you don't expect. Still without a coach, at least officially, yet capable of placing two good shots on entry. Alex and Menez will be able to lend a hand to the new course by Inzaghi, furthermore they will enrich the large colony of zero parameters (not always up to par to tell the truth) signed by Galliani. He will still be the one to manage the Rossoneri market, just as it has been for decades. It wouldn't be something to point out were it not that, just a few months ago, the ad seemed out of the picture. In any case, a new Milan is being born, under the banner of a newfound understanding between management and coach (at the same table in the Menez negotiation) and some new tactics. We are moving towards a 4-3-3, in which the various Kakà, Robinho and Honda could be too many, just like Balotelli. In spite of the (tepid) denials of Via Aldo Rossi Supermario is for sale, and how it is. On the other hand, it is the only jewel to be displayed in the shop window, given that De Sciglio seems to have been taken off the market. If Balotelli leaves (in any case, it will only be really discussed after the World Cup) Galliani will have at his disposal a nice little treasure of 20-25 million, perhaps to invest in Mario Mandzukic of Bayern or Negredo of Manchester City. And then many young players, especially in midfield. Baselli, Sturaro, the confirmation of Cristante, the suggestion of Darmian, Inzaghi's Milan seems to proceed under the banner of the green line: will it be enough to return to the Champions League?
LAZIO
The real surprise of this early summer. After Petkovic-Reja's disappointing year, Lotito decided to shuffle the cards. And in a few days, even though he hasn't yet decided on the next coach, he has landed some really interesting shots. Let's start with the redemption of Candreva, the team's true top player after the departure of Hernanes, armored in the biancoceleste before the World Cup can offer dangerous temptations. Dusan Basta also arrives from Udinese, a winger who has always been in the crosshairs of the big homegrown players. Lazio took him, just like Parolo, another player approached by many big names in the last transfer market sessions. Lotito is about to secure it for 5,5 million, a really good coup! The unleashed biancoceleste president is also on the verge of buying Astori and De Vrij: the first would arrive from Cagliari for 7 million, the second from Feyenoord for 5. A lot of stuff, especially for a club that, in recent years, had gotten used to austerity so much so as to contest Lotito and Tare en masse. These moves go in one direction: Massimiliano Allegri. In fact, the Biancoceleste management wants to convince him to marry the Lazio project and the sine qua non is a market up to par, as well as an engagement of 2,5 million per season. Here too, if the negotiation takes place, there would be a clear trend reversal. That Lotito has decided to bring Lazio back to the top of the league?
