The days of waiting. Football is waiting to know its future, meanwhile is dealing with a recession which, at best, can upset all the balances we were used to. The study published this week by the KPMG Football Benchmark highlights, in fact, how it is above all the top players who risk a devaluation, with obvious repercussions on the clubs that own the cards. The damages, in any case already existing, would be greater in the event of a definitive stop in the championship, even reaching 25%: here is another reason why the clubs, especially the most important ones, are pushing to return to the field as soon as possible . Those who don't do it, like the French teams, are counting their losses, with inevitable consequences also on the market.
This is the case of the PSG, forced to surrender to Macron's decision and therefore to set up a different strategy, very far from the crazy spending of the past. Leonardo's first move was contact Marotta to ask for a discount on Icardi: the 70 million clause set in August 2019, in fact, has become too onerous. However, Inter also has its accounts to respect, so it is difficult to be able to grant a discount, unless Paris puts a valuable counterpart on the plate. Leonardo proposed Julian Draxler, an undoubtedly talented playmaker in the past in Juve's sights: Conte however, already in possession of Eriksen, does not seem enthusiastic. The PSG strategy is the same that Barcelona is also trying to implement, only that here we are talking about Lautaro Martinez.
That the Argentine wants to wear the Blaugrana shirt is now a certainty, as is the impossibility of the Catalans, grappling with an unprecedented economic and corporate crisis, to pay the 110 million clause. Marotta, in this case, it seems more inclined to come to terms but only with a base of at least 80 million: the rest will have to come with a technical counterpart and the only name that pleases (apart from the Messi phenomenon) is that of Arthur, considered one of the most promising midfielders in the world. Here, however, Juventus comes into play, in turn very interested in the Brazilian, so much so that they have proposed an exchange with Pjanic. The Bosnian would go to Barça in a hurry, Arthur instead, at least for the moment, is a niche, suggesting that he has little desire to move: in short, there is work to do, but the operations are more than possible.
Inter and Juve compete on several tables, just as per tradition, therefore also on Timo Werner: here, however, it is the Nerazzurri who have a clear advantage, especially as Sarri wants a striker with different characteristics. The German is on pole to replace Lautaro's eventual departure, also because the terms of buying him would be rather advantageous. Leipzig has a release clause of 60 million which would become 50 in the event of failure to win the Bundesliga: a figure absolutely within reach for a prospectus of quality like his, especially with the receipts (albeit lower than expected) from Paris and Barcelona. Juve therefore does not seem willing to relaunch, also because they must first resolve the Higuain problem.
The father-prosecutor Jorge, for the umpteenth time, he reiterated how Gonzalo does not want to leave Turin before June 2021, thus guaranteeing himself the entire salary of 7,5 million net provided for in the contract. Paratici, on the other hand, has other ideas and is waiting for Pipita's return to Italy (scheduled for the weekend) to sit around a table and talk: it is certainly known that River Plate, the only destination the player likes, cannot pay either the the pharaonic salary. A severance pay will be needed, or a surprise move: otherwise the Lady will have to postpone the purchase of a fine toe until next summer, settling for a slightly less sparkling one for this one. The hot name, as already mentioned in other episodes, is that of Milik, with whom there is already an agreement in principle.
Napoli wants 40 million but Juve, thanks to the contract expiring in 2021, does not want to go beyond 25 and is trying in every way to insert some counterpart. One could be Rugani, another Romero, while the Bernardeschi hypothesis has already faded: in fact, it is too complicated to agree on an evaluation (for the Bianconeri he is worth more than Milik) and salary (out of parameters for the Azzurri). However, De Laurentiis had decided to move on well before the Coronavirus, letting go of his unmotivated tops to replace them with young people with lower costs. It seems Mertens' farewell is now also certain, destined for Inter as the first alternative to the starting duo (he will therefore take the place of Sanchez), and Koulibaly and Allan could also leave: a striker and the name of Belotti will certainly be added to the January signings, very welcome to Gattuso since the days of Palermo always remains at the top of the list.
Milan also seems to have taken a precise direction: it is Ralf Rangnick, who is ever closer to the Rossoneri bench. “I can't rule out that I will go there – confirmed the German. – They asked me if there was the possibility of collaborating, as a result I informed Red Bull and then there were talks with my agent. But then the coronavirus arrived and more important questions arose…”. The emergency has only slowed down the negotiation, which is almost certainly destined to go through: after all, at Milan, as admitted by president Scaroni, Gazidis is in charge, whose project aims at the Ajax model. And Maldini? "I'm sure I'll only be a manager at Milan, I won't do it anywhere else" he glossed over the current Rossoneri manager, but the rumors (moreover internal) tell of a marked destiny, in which only the farewell modalities remain to be established.
If so, Pioli, Ibrahimovic will follow him closely (by the way: he will be in Italy on Monday) and, probably, at least one between Donnarumma and Romagnoli. In fact, the latter, passed under Raiola's prosecutor's office, received offers from Sevilla and, above all, Atletico Madrid, and given that his contract (3,5 million until 2022) goes beyond the parameters of Gazidis (2,5 as the ceiling maximum, with one or two exceptions), its permanence is anything but certain.
