Time out. Also this year the January transfer market has ended, the one that was once called a "repair" one and which now, thanks to the economic crisis, is perhaps even more exciting than the summer one. Yes, because in winter everyone has players to place and this favors discounts, incoming and outgoing. Difficult to draw up a big home page, if only because the assumptions change from one case to another: Juventus and Naples, for example, did not have the same needs as the Milanese... So let's judge the market by voting yes, but without drawing up a classification. On the other hand, for this one, the championship is enough.
Juventus 6
Premise: reinforcing a team first in the standings (+ 7 on the second), in the round of XNUMX of the Champions League and in the semifinals of the Italian Cup is difficult, very difficult. Top players would be needed, but these cost too much even for the Lady of Italy, unable to compete with the big Europeans. The Cuadrado case is emblematic: Conte's dream for years, at Chelsea within a week. We started by talking about Sneijder and Mkhitaryan, in the end Matri, Sturaro, De Ceglie and the young Tello arrived, against a single transfer, that of Giovinco. Hence a sufficiency, nothing more and nothing less, even if the impression remains that, perhaps, Marotta and Paratici could have dared to do something more. The Champions League is upon us and it is unlikely that reinforcements will increase the competitiveness of the squad…
ROME 6,5
Take 3 sell 2. Put like this it would almost seem like a commercial announcement, in reality it is the balance sheet of what Sabatini has done. Destro and Emanuelson left, Doumbia, Ibarbo and Spolli arrived: a few tweaks, but substantial. In particular, the attack is teasing, potentially explosive with the Ivorian ex CSKA Moscow and the Colombian ex Cagliari. On the other hand Destro went away, a guarantee of "reserve" goals like few others, but keeping him was impossible and then, on balance, the two new signings seem more suited to living together with Totti, a sine qua non for every Giallorossi coach . So why only 6? We believe we could have done better in defense (after all Spolli comes from Serie B) and above all that, after Strootman's injury, a quality introduction was needed for the midfield. The championship mission, already complicated for him, has certainly not become simpler.
NAPOLI 6,5
Two purchases and zero sales. The Naples market is essential, closed at the end of December, but very well made. Gabbiadini and Strinic are in fact two excellent players, as demonstrated by the results: since they arrived, Benitez's team has only lost against Juve, against 4 victories (5 also considering the Italian Cup). In short, Naples strengthened, it is no coincidence that the ranking improves day by day and second place, an unattainable goal until some time ago, is approaching with great strides. The vote is therefore fully sufficient, even if, perhaps, the technical requirements have not been fully satisfied. In fact, we have long believed that Napoli's problem is from midfield (including) down, not in front. Of course, after Insigne's injury, someone like Gabbiadini served as bread, but it would have been the case to also buy a playmaker and a central defender, as requested by Benitez months ago. Instead Bigon preferred to make his head and the Spaniard grumbles. Farewell rehearsals in sight?
FIORENTINA 5
The insufficiency derives from the departure of Cuadrado, but not so much from the sale itself: that, in fact, in the face of 35 million, was simply inevitable. If anything, the fact that the Colombian has not been worthily replaced is perplexing, despite the stock market being richer than ever. Sure, the January market isn't easy, especially if you find yourself looking for a top player in the last few days, but Pradè has taken a big risk. The newcomers (Salah, Diamanti and Gilardino) will force Montella to change the game system and the latter didn't take it well at all.
"The club doesn't always listen to me" the coach commented piqued, forced to reshuffle the cards at the crucial moment of the season. The purchases then present many contraindications: Salah is an interesting but still immature prospect, Diamanti and Gilardino risk turning out to be the stand-ins of the players seen in the past. Once again, a lot will depend on Giuseppe Rossi: if the former one returns, Fiorentina will hardly miss Cuadrado. However, hope is feeble, especially for the (few) months that remain before the verdicts. The coveted leap in quality risks being postponed once again.
MILAN 6
And here we are with the Milanese, both immobile in the field and active on the market. On the other hand, as explained in the introduction, things often go hand in hand. AC Milan seems to us to be slightly strengthened by the winter campaign, even though they have in fact disavowed a large part of the summer one. The sale of Torres, presented in August as the flagship of the squad, is the sign that things have not gone quite as Galliani and Inzaghi expected. In any case, the CEO has certainly not been watching: the reinforcements have arrived, even if with the usual "condor" methods that make the curve so angry. Look for us immediately, then a lot of immobility until the frenzy of the last few days, greeted with 4 consecutive purchases.
It goes without saying that the strong points are above all the former grenade and Destro: important players, even if returning from a far from brilliant first part of the season. Numerically speaking, the side dish is also substantial: Paletta, Bocchetti and Antonelli, to whom Galliani has also tried to add Baselli (deal postponed to June). Will they be enough to solve Milan's problems? Probably not. In fact, the team has big gaps in the middle of the field and nobody has arrived there. A director would have changed perspectives, so instead there is the risk of relying too much on individualities. The classification, perhaps, can be straightened even in this way, the rebirth instead is postponed to the next session.
INTER 6
Difficult, indeed very difficult, to judge the Inter transfer market without being conditioned by the results. The only point collected between Empoli, Turin and Sassuolo fades everything, even the value of two excellent players like Podolski and Shaqiri. However, they have arrived, moreover under favorable economic conditions: not bad at a time like this, in which clubs (especially the Nerazzurri) have to do the market with their hands tied. If anything, one wonders if the two are really the right men for a confused team, almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown, or will prove unsuitable for a leading role, a bit like happened in Arsenal and Bayern. The purchase of Brozovic was also positive, considered an excellent player by insiders from all over Europe. But the good things end there.
Mancini had also asked for a central defender, a full-back who was good in both phases and a midfielder: only Santon arrived. No Rhodolfo, Rolando, Benalouane or Richards, no Diarra, Ledesma or Baselli. Defense and midfield remain as before which, given the difficulties revealed so far, certainly does not authorize optimism. Even the purchase of Santon raises a lot of doubts: the former Newcastle player is recovering from various knee problems which practically prevented him from playing (his playing time in the season is 60'!). There remains the possibility of arriving at Cassano, who being released can sign until February 25 (but the UEFA deadline for the Europa League list is tonight at midnight). Hypothesis that does not inflame the Inter people, disenchanted as never before.
