In the market for the poor, the parameters of judgment change completely. Before, it was the big names, those who seemed to be big shots, to raise the votes, because the transfer market is (was?) the dream season in which everything is possible. But now, if you don’t have a euro, what counts is knowing how to sell well and then “work with your imagination”, as the insiders say, which means begging for loans around and buying only at very low prices, hoping to get the right bang. The best ones today are those who sell. On the other hand this time there wasn’t even a coup, not even a zero parameter, or a sticker. Welcome to the Great Crisis.
So here are the report cards of the new era
ATALANTA. Grade 6. Nothing new on the western front. Sartori has gone, but the mechanism remains the same. They always place an important sale, and then the good deal, the purchase that is worth it, we only find out in the advanced league, because the truth is that we don’t even know one of those they brought home. The orobics managed to place Malinovski, not really a starter, in Marseille, 10 million plus 3 in bonuses. They didn’t take anyone, so the vote stops at enough.
BOLOGNA. Grade 6. He took Kyriskopoulos from Sassuolo, and didn’t let Cambiaso leave. He would have liked to have Barrow leave, towards England, to collect some change, but not all donuts come out with holes. Vote 6 of confidence.
CREMONESE. Rated 5/6. The fans are not very satisfied. Adjustment market, a defender (Ferrari) who is not of the first tier has arrived, Zanimacchia has left, who was playing in the middle with Alvini. And with the more prudent Ballardini it was no longer needed.
EMPOLI. Grade 7. These are too good. They deserve the high rating regardless. They have exchanged Lammers with Caputo, and the first impression is that they have earned it. They got their hands on Piccoli, a promise that doesn’t blossom, he has already toured six teams without confirming expectations, and Vignato, another young man who is said to be very good, to replace Bajrami’s departure. Make a monument to Corsi.
FLORENTINE. Grade 5. In the constant search for a striker to finally take Vlahovic’s place, this time they ended up on Brekalo, whom Torino let go this summer without too many regrets. So now they have a queue in front, but no one who convinces. Just as I don’t like the Sirigu-Gollini exchange too much.
INTER. Vote 4. Pay for summer mistakes. Marotta and Ausilio are btavi and will definitely do it again. But having bet on Lukaku instead of Dybala was a wrong gamble, and not letting Skriniar leave for 50 million cash was a serious mistake, which weighs on the balance sheet and the transfer campaign. They were supposed to sell Dumfries and they failed. To get to Scalvini, however, someone must leave him sooner or later, unless the imaginary buyers or new members show up at the door of the company.
JUVENTUS. Grade 6. Of trust. After the disastrous summer shopping campaign (go and see the votes if you want to have a laugh), now he has to think only of selling. Except that given his situation, buyers prefer to wait. So for now it has gotten rid of McKennie and Pellegrini, but with the right of redemption, which is nothing more than a vague promise, to be re-discussed even if it is not dropped. But more she sincerely she could not do.
MILAN. Grade 5. It would be better without a vote. Pay for the uncertainties of summer. Wait for De Katelaere: with Tonali it went well for him after a so-so year, but this time we don’t know. Giroud remained who refused the British pounds. But the Leao grain is about to arrive. And it’s not a good deal.
LAZIO. Grade 6. Luca Pellegrini from Juve, and that’s it. Anyone who is already used to jumping through hoops to stay afloat knows how to do it, and starts in front of the others. Tare has been working his imagination for a long time, as they say now. She has almost always gone well with him. But now that everyone is forced to do it, it becomes more difficult.
LECCE. Rated 5/6. Defender market, – 3, a bit too many – after having sold midfielders and forwards.
MONZA. Grade 7. After the summer fireworks, he’s now rested. But the great coup came with the bowls still, and the truly exceptional one: Palladino. He alone is worth even more than the 7 on the report card.
NAPLES. Grade 6. Not so much for Bereszynski, but for Gollini. As a second goalkeeper he is perfect. Giuntoli is a magician and he succeeds in everything: now he aims at Adam Traoré on a free transfer.
ROME. Vote 5. This is the hardest grade to give. Because Pinto’s son had done it, and if it went through, it would have been another market. But poor clubs risk becoming hostages to players and their agents. In the end Pinto is not to blame, just that a poor market came out: Llorente from Leeds, who is he? Solbakken instead of Shomurodov is definitely worth it. But it’s too little. Roma need something more forward to take Zaniolo’s place.
SALERNITANA. Rating 6/7. Watch out for Nicolussi Caviglia, they say a lot of good about it.
SAMPDORIA. Grade 5. The exchange between Caputo and Lammers is not convincing. Caputo is used for sure, in the end it never disappoints. Purchases are all second tier. Of the new arrivals, Ilkhan intrigues: when he went to Turin in August, they spread words of honey, he seemed like a young man with a great future. Then he was hardly ever seen on the pitch. Maybe he didn’t connect with Juric, now Stankovic is trying: the difficult sentence for Sampdoria.
SASSUOLO. Grade 8. Bajrami and Zortea are two investments, both twenty-three years old, the first with a few more guarantees than the second. Players from honest careers rather than flights of fancy. But Carnevali already has the cashier at home. And one he placed as an artist of sales, Traoré at Bournemouth for 30 million, slipping into Zaniolo’s doubts. Given the new times, the high mark rewards those who are better at selling.
SPICE. Rating 7/8. They took Kiwior for two cents and resold it to Arsenal for 25 million. They will do the same with Holm. We are on the edge of the empire, beggars humbly waiting in front of noble palaces. If the English lords let us, let’s make some money. Up until yesterday such good judgments went to the big names. But that’s the way the world is today. Spezia doesn’t take the 8 only because perhaps they could have done more on entry.
TURIN. Rating 6/7. If you ask Juric for his vote, he’ll probably give him 4, because he got furious when he learned that Lukic had been sold to him. Cairo, on the other hand, brought home Ilic from Verona, beating competition from Marseille. On paper we are not sure that he has earned it. Then he brought in Vieira and a defender, Gravillon, who who knows if there was so much need. But since he managed to sell Lukic well, ten million plus two in bonuses, and the ratio between income and expenses remains positive, the abundant sufficiency is right.
UDINESE. Grade 6. Here too I vote of confidence. Thauvin is a bet. He was a French international in 2018, but he has since disappeared from the radar.
VERONA. Rated 5/6. Ilic is a loss that risks weighing. Abildgaard who arrived to replace him is a Danish international but he wasn’t really a regular at Celtic. Lasagna remained, and this is good news.