End of the run. The summer 2014 transfer market closed its doors leaving behind, as usual, a trail of stories, controversies and twists and turns. The last day, usually to be circled on the calendar, did not disappoint, giving us feverish hours and many surprises. Sure, the golden years remain a distant memory and once again the big shots have stayed away from Italian football, but we're having fun just the same. Just like giving votes to the big names, already knowing that, if it really goes well, we will only partially get our judgments right. It matters little: if it is true that there is no summer without a transfer market, it is equally true that a season cannot officially begin without report cards.
ROME 8
One point less for the sale of Benatia (a top player who will be difficult to replace) and the failure to buy Rabiot, a young hopeful who would have made this Rome even more fascinating. Which still remains the queen of the local market, in every sense. Walter Sabatini was highly promoted, capable of combining his usual flair for young players (Uçan and Holebas above all) with the attitude of a transfer market warrior.
When it came to raising their voices, Roma did it all right: do you remember the Iturbe case, unceremoniously mugged by rivals Juventus and Milan? Not to be underestimated is the almost complete confirmation of the previous squad, which came out without medals on the chest only because it was crushed by a simply monstrous Lady. The result is that the Giallorossi have a strong and complete team, so much so that the only weak point seems to be the excessive squad. It will be difficult for Garcia to choose the starting eleven without controversy, but many would like to have problems like this.
Juventus 7,5
He has not sold either Pogba or Vidal and this is the first major victory for the award-winning firm Agnelli, Marotta and Paratici. There are times when missed sales are worth as much, if not more, than great signings and this is precisely the case with Juventus. Three months ago no one would have bet on black and white resistance, instead the assaults of the big Europeans were rejected without too many compliments. In the light of this, purchases also take on an important value, which otherwise would have made many turn up their noses. It is one thing to have a Pereyra or a Romulo instead of Pogba or Vidal, another is to be able to keep them in the squad as alternatives.
The half point less than Roma is the result of the Conte case, badly managed by the club and only partially buffered by the timely intervention that brought Allegri to the Juventus bench. A Lady cannot be without a rider at the beginning of the dress rehearsal for a ball, she is not well and it must not happen. And then the non-arrivals of a central defender and a quality forward stand out, perhaps essential to really aim for the leap in European quality. On the other hand, the Coman coup deserves applause: woe to define him as the new Pogba even now, but the diamond, albeit rough, has every appearance of being very pure.
FIORENTINA 7
Here too the speech made for Juventus is valid. How much is Cuadrado's confirmation worth for Fiorentina? On paper, a lot, indeed a lot: there is no counter-proof, but we are almost sure that 40 million more would not have matched the technical level guaranteed by the Colombian. Sure, the transfer market teaches that sometimes great victories are born from great sales (remember what Moggi's Juve did by selling Zidane?) but we are happy to keep someone like Cuadrado in our league. But the Viola is not just JC11.
Marin is a player to keep under control and his purchase, in the light of Rossi's new injury, finds no small logic. And then Micah Richards, on paper one of the best defenders landed in our league. Mancini's fixed point, the Englishman ended up being forgotten during Pellegrini's management but it is one thing to act as a backup to Zabaleta, another is not being able to make a difference in Serie A. However, the fact remains that this is for Fiorentina it will be the season of truth. Stop pretending to be grown up, it's time to really grow up. And the same goes for Montella.
MILAN 7
The condor strikes again. Two and a half months of taking beatings from everyone, on the pitch and in the newspapers, then Galliani decides to take flight and Milan rises from the ashes. The Bonaventura coup certifies a project that now takes on complete meaning in the eyes of all, not just the privileged ones of the Arcore dinners. It's not a championship-worthy Milan but a battle yes and this, after the terrible past year, is the first success of the Inzaghi management. Aside from the former Atalanta jewel (however snatched from competition from Inter), the Rossoneri have built a team without spending almost anything.
From Diego Lopez to Torres, passing through Alex, Armero, Menez and Van Ginkel, it's a Milan of loans and zero parameters but it doesn't matter: on the other hand, in times of crisis you have to ingenuity and Galliani is a master. His transfers are also excellent, for once they were almost entirely successful. Apart from Mexes and Zaccardo, all the undesirables have packed their bags. In particular Balotelli, sold for 20 million cash despite a disastrous World Cup, but also Robinho, Kakà and Constant. The moles? The non-redemption of Taarabt, someone who could really make a difference in Italy and the outright sale of Cristante: a loan would have been acceptable, so instead the risk of finding yourself in a few years with your nails cut in half is big. But Milan is there, and how if there is.
INTER 6,5
Had he sold Guarin and bought an extra striker he would have taken a higher grade, even higher than Fiorentina if the name in question had been that of Lavezzi. So instead the feeling of an unfinished project remains, a sort of wish (third place) but I can't (even if it's all to be seen). Of course, it is inevitable that the judgment is soiled by the bad performance in Turin in which Inter once again showed objective structural limits. Woe, however, to indulge in defeatism of all sorts: Ausilio's work was good even in the light of Thohir's directives. The president was clear, first the budget and then the rest. And so, with these premises, having brought people like Vidic, Medel and Osvaldo to the Nerazzurri is a real merit.
A few more reservations about M'Vila (confined to Russia and excluded from Deschamps' tour) and Dodò (many, too many injuries in the capital) but all in all the squad is valuable. The deck is short in attack, where Mazzarri will only have three forwards available. Sure, Kovacic and Hernanes can play up front but in certain matches, like the one in Turin, you need people with an eye for goals and this isn't exactly the strong point of the Croatian and the Brazilian. It's a pity then that they were held hostage by Guarin, a player now burnt out by the discontent of the piazza and Mazzarri. Unless the Colombian, against all odds, turns out to be the extra man for this Inter.
LAZIO 6,5
Half a point less for the Astori case, whose move to Rome had the effect of a lost derby, and badly too. But Lazio did a great job, signing players of international level and keeping all the best in the squad. It wasn't easy to resist the temptation to sell Candreva and Lulic and even Biglia and Klose, after the excellent World Cup played, could get out of hand. Lotito, on the other hand, held out, on the other hand he has been doing it for years in a square that doesn't love him (euphemism) and that never misses an opportunity to contest him. This time, however, the picturesque biancoceleste number one moved well, starting with the choice of coach.
Stefano Pioli does not enjoy great press but he has almost always managed to extract juice from turnips, and when he has not done so it was only due to objective impossibility (see Bologna). Everyone wanted Parolo, ditto. Enough not to mention De Vrij, one of the most brilliant in the Brazilian World Cup. Don't underestimate the purchase of Djordjevic, a little-publicized striker but back from excellent performances in Nantes: Klose won't sleep peacefully. Many dead branches were then sold, from Dias to Biava, passing through lackluster youngsters like Alfaro. The result is that the bench is longer than ever: in fact, few can afford to keep Mauri and Ledesma out of the starting eleven. Lazio are serious and the Europa League, after such a transfer market, is not a dream but an obligation.
NAPOLI 5
The real disappointment of the market. To begin with, the Azzurri are the only ones who have already collected a heavy, almost irremediable failure. Failure to access the group stage of the Champions League is unforgivable also because the feeling of insane masochism remains. Why not give Benitez a couple of reinforcements for a challenge that, numbers in hand, was worth almost 30 million euros? We'll never know the answer but it's a safe bet that, if he were to get the preliminary stumbling block again, De Laurentiis will behave very differently. Mind you, the Napoli squad is anything but to be thrown away and the confirmations of Callejon and Higuain, sought after for millions by PSG and Barcelona, should not be underestimated.
But we can't see a real improvement in the squad, on the contrary the team seems weakened. While waiting to be denied by De Guzman and David Lopez, we don't understand the sales of Behrami and Dzemaili, two who made themselves heard in Italy. And then the purchases of Koulibaly and Michu are welcome but only in support of Fernandez and Pandev, not in their place. So we risk another season in limbo, just what the Neapolitan public wanted to avoid. Naples dreams of the Scudetto and in the air there is a dissatisfaction that exploded only partially after the European elimination. Benitez has the task of restoring peace between fans and players (too many long faces in the locker room), to avoid a year that is already taking a bad turn.
