Milan strikes a blow. Actually two, because the Rossoneri week ended with two long-awaited, yet still to be made, official announcements: Zvonimir Boban and Paolo Maldini will lead the club as Chief Football Officer and Technical Director respectively. A promotion for the former captain, last year Leonardo's shadow (by the way, his return to PSG is a done deal), a welcome return for the Croatian, who is determined to make use of all the experience accumulated in his years at Fifa . “I am very happy to return to my beloved Milan trying to give my contribution to bring it back to where it should be – his first statements. – It must be a leading and winning club, because this is the only nature of its history”.
His role was best explained by Gazidis, in his first real season as Rossoneri CEO. "Due to his characteristics, his experience and his abilities, I am sure he will contribute in a decisive way to the growth of our Sports Area and will guarantee a decisive added value in the relations of our Club with the major football institutions", declared the former Arsenal, reiterating that Boban will therefore also have a strategic task off the pitch: after all, working alongside UEFA is worth as much as sporting results. Once the club is settled, it's time to move on to the coach who, as everyone knows, will be Marco Giampaolo: the coach canceled his contract with Sampdoria yesterday and will be officially announced shortly.
This is how the Milan market starts, which after the purchase of Krunic is ready to really get to the heart of it with Sensi (Sassuolo want Cutrone, they are talking about it), Veretout (Fiorentina are asking for 25 million, too many according to Maldini) and a defender (contacts continue with Lovren from Liverpool, Mancini from Liverpool also likes Atalanta). Via Aldo Rossi will certainly have to race, because the others are already ahead. Juve, for example, although they haven't announced their coach yet, already have several moves in the pipeline. The gap on the bench will then be filled very soon, so much so that now there are no more doubts about Maurizio Sarri, released from Chelsea for 4 million and now close to signing a biennial with the Lady. The compensation, albeit lower than the 6 initially requested, satisfies Marina Granovskaia and gives the green light to the new black and white course, now ready to start with the transfer market.
The department that needs more reinforcements is the defense and Paratici, after leaving the De Ligt track (he will go to PSG for 90 million), identified Manolas as the right man. The Greek has a release clause of 36 million and Roma need to make a capital gain by 30 June: however, Juve have a redundant Higuain and given Dzeko's imminent departure to Inter, the idea of an exchange. However, Pipita's brother-prosecutor took care of cooling the track (also complicating the Icardi question, another dot of Paratici), with a statement that leaves little room for maneuver. "With all due respect to the other Serie A teams, if he stays in Italy it's only for Juventus, it's a matter of personal and professional choice" Nicolas said, evidently not attracted by the Rome hypothesis.
We'll see what happens, meanwhile from Porto Ercole Rabiot's phrases rebound ("Juve is a great club, we are evaluating") which insert the Frenchman in the list of top players in the middle of the field drawn up by Paratici: the others are Pogba, Milinkovic-Savic and Zaniolo. Marotta's Inter is also on the move, divided between the search for capital gains to feed to UEFA by June 30 and the purchase of functional players for Conte. Ausilio met Lukaku's agent on Thursday to define a common strategy with Manchester United: the request for 70 million in fact must be filed with some compensation, a pity however that the English do not like Perisic and ask instead for Skriniar, considered non-transferable by Conte. The situation is different for Icardi: in this case it is the player who doesn't even want to talk about it, given his intention to leave Milan only for Juventus.
"This is not the time to talk about it", Marotta cut short, aware however that he had to work hard to unravel the skein. On the other hand, for Barella (Bastoni, Eder and Dimarco are the possible counterparts for Cagliari, as well as a generous financial settlement), Lazaro's negotiation is almost complete: the distances between the 20 million requested by Hertha Berlin and the 17 million offered by Inter are truly minimal. The Napoli market continues slowly, which after the slowdown for James Rodriguez (Real wants 50 million) must register PSG's assault on Insigne. The French have put up 65 million, less than the 100 requested by De Laurentiis but still a lot, especially if you consider the salary offered to the player. Which, not surprisingly, has given a mandate to Raiola to negotiate the renewal at 6,5 million per season, otherwise you put your foot down and ask for the transfer.
We'll see what happens, but Ancelotti certainly doesn't like the situation, forced to watch the others get stronger for the second summer in a row. Closure dedicated to Roma and al Totti case: rumors say he is ready to leave his role as manager due to differences with president Pallotta, despite the latter, at least publicly, trying to bring the problem back. “Without any doubt we would like to see Francis as a fundamental part of our future – the president said. – Maybe he thinks he needs some time to think about his future and his role at the club, which we all respect. If he needs time, we will give him time…”. The answer from the Captain is expected in the next few hours and, according to the rumors coming from the Capital, it will be anything but obvious.
