Category: Latest Transfers

Brehme hands Inter inheritance to Gosens: ‘Great player’

January 27, 2022

Robin Gosens becomes the ninth German international to represent Inter and former left-back Andreas Brehme trusts his legacy at San Siro is in safe hands. ‘Atalanta made him into a great player.’

The deal is done for an 18-month loan with obligation to buy for a total €25m plus performance-related bonuses, as he had his medical and signed the contract today.

Gosens is the ninth German to wear the Nerazzurri jersey and the first to play on their left wing in 30 years, since Brehme against Bari in May 1992.

FCInter 1908.it contacted World Cup winner Brehme to ask his opinion on the Gosens move.

“I really like Robin and had already watched him when he played in the Eredivisie. Only Atalanta were really interested at that time, as nobody in Germany had him on a wish-list.

“He can give an important contribution at Inter, as he already knows Serie A well and doesn’t need time to adapt. Nobody knew him before going to Atalanta, but they made him into a great player.”

Ivan Perisic is in the final six months of his contract and Gosens is coming off an injury, so the handover probably won’t be until next season.

“It’s important to have options in every position, especially when playing in Europe. I expect to see Gosens consistently in the starting XI. He knows what it means to play at San Siro, he should enjoy himself and I wish him the best with the Inter jersey.”

He could potentially recover in time to face Liverpool in the Champions League Round of 16 next month.

“Liverpool are a tough prospect for anyone, but Inter are in great form, have a real team spirit and never give in. I really hope Inter can beat Liverpool over two legs,” added Brehme.

“Inter are becoming one of the top teams in Europe.”

Cagliari warn Juventus over Nandez: ‘Complicated’

January 27, 2022

Cagliari President Tommaso Giulini insists he wants to ‘recoup at least part of our investment’ in Nahitan Nandez amid talk of a loan to Juventus. ‘An exit is very complicated.’

The Uruguay international could join Juve on loan with option to buy, but only if they manage to ship out either Rodrigo Bentancur to Aston Villa or Arthur Melo to Arsenal first.

It’s hardly the first time Cagliari have been left to deal with Nandez requests and offers in the final days of the transfer window.

“This Nandez thing is a soap opera that has been going on for quite a few transfer sessions now,” President Giulini told reporters including Tuttomercatoweb.

“We are three days from the deadline, he is very important for us in the fight for Serie A safety. Nandez was the biggest investment in the history of Cagliari, we spent a lot of money and want to recoup at least some of it.

“There are three days to go, we have not received any formal offers. I also keep reading in the papers these names of potential exchange deals, but we are not interested in that at this moment.

“It’s very complicated to suggest he could leave in January, as there is no official bid and he needs a suitable replacement.”

Nandez had been in a similar situation over the summer with Inter, seemingly on the way out with his bags packed only for the clubs not to agree a deal.

The 26-year-old midfielder can cover several different tactical roles and has 49 senior caps for Uruguay under his belt.

Cagliari signed him from Boca Juniors in 2019 for €17m.

Sassuolo: ‘Scamacca and Frattesi proposals from Italy and abroad’

January 27, 2022

Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali has put clubs on red alert after admitting Inter targets Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Frattesi could leave in January. ‘We have proposals, but mainly from abroad.’

The Mapei Stadium chief has always been adamant the two young Italy talents would see out the season with Sassuolo, but the situation appears to have changed.

After the Lega Serie A meeting, Carnevali spoke to reporters including Tuttomercatoweb and was asked about the pair, who have already been heavily linked with Inter for next season.

Are there any doubts that Frattesi and Scamacca will remain at Sassuolo for this season?

“For the moment there are no doubts, but there are still a few days to go,” replied Carnevali.

“We’ll wait and see, there are certainly offers. Our intention is to keep them for now and then talk about it later. We received proposals not just for Scamacca in January, but others too.

“There were some calls from Italy, but mainly from abroad, because there isn’t much possibility for investment in the Italian clubs at the moment. Fortunately, there’s the overseas market too.”

Sassuolo have been active, securing Riccardo Ciervo from Roma, interrupting his Sampdoria loan, with Carnevali confirming there will be a medical tomorrow.

They are negotiating with Padova for Moro, but insisted reports they were ‘close’ to Pisa striker Lorenzo Lucca were exaggerating.

Juventus loan Kulusevski to Milan after Everton rejection?

January 27, 2022

There are reports Juventus have offered tactically versatile Dejan Kulusevski on loan to Milan for the rest of the season after he turned down Everton.

According to Calciomercato.com, transfer pundit Nicolò Schira and others, the plan is taking shape after Juve decided the Swede could leave on loan and not just on a permanent transfer.

There could also be an option to buy in the deal if he was to join the Rossoneri for the rest of this season.

Kulusevski had been linked with Everton, but it’s reported he turned down the proposal along with a couple of other bids from abroad, preferring to continue his career in Serie A.

Having impressed on loan at Parma, Juventus purchased Kulusevski from Atalanta in January 2020 for €35m.

He has struggled to make an impact in Turin, shuffled around in a variety of positions and tactical systems under different coaches.

So far this season, the 21-year-old has scored two goals and three assists in 27 competitive appearances, most of them off the bench.

Moving to Milan would enable him to work with fellow Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic and replace Samu Castillejo, who is on the way out of San Siro.

Kulusevski has been largely used on the right wing, but has said many times his preferred role is behind the strikers, where the Rossoneri have been struggling with Brahim Diaz’s poor form.

Official: Milan sign Red Star Belgrade starlet Lazetic

January 27, 2022

Milan have officially signed striker Marko Lazetic from Red Star Belgrade in a deal believed to be worth €4m plus bonuses.

The forward turned 18 last week and has one goal in five caps for Serbia at Under-19 level.

He has put pen to paper on a contract with the San Siro giants until June 2026.

Lazetic will wear the Number 22 jersey and join Stefano Pioli’s senior Milan squad.

Red Star Belgrade are believed to be getting €4m plus €1m in performance-related bonuses and a percentage on any future transfer.

A product of the Red Star Belgrade youth academy, he caught Milan’s attention in September with two goals in the UEFA Youth League against St Patrick’s Athletic YL.

“AC Milan announces that Marko Lazetić has joined the Rossoneri from Red Star Belgrade on a permanent deal. The Serbian striker has signed a contract with the Club lasting until 30 June 2026.

“Born in Belgrade, Serbia, on 22 January 2004, Marko came through the Red Star Belgrade youth ranks before making his first-team debut in November 2020. He was then loaned to Grafičar, for whom he scored four goals in 14 appearances. Having returned to Red Star Belgrade in the summer of 2021, this season has seen him find the net once in 16 matches.”

He is effectively the replacement for Pietro Pellegri, who today terminated his loan from AS Monaco in order to join Torino.

Theo Hernandez commits to Milan as Chelsea and PSG must look elsewhere

January 27, 2022

Milan have reportedly more than doubled Theo Hernandez’s salary after he agreed to sign a four-year contract extension, silencing reports of Chelsea and PSG interest.

The 24-year-old left-back was signed from Real Madrid for €21.5m in 2019, but his value on the transfer market has practically tripled thanks to his performances in Serie A.

He has four goals and seven assists in 25 competitive appearances for the Rossoneri so far this season, being less prolific than the previous campaign.

His current contract was due to expire in June 2024, but negotiations for an extension have never been in doubt, despite the interest from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Theo Hernandez had been earning just €1.5m per season, but the new agreement will see that salary rise to €4m per year plus bonuses until June 2026.

Milan hope this will secure his status as one of the pillars of the squad going into the future, having been chosen by director Paolo Maldini.

Sassuolo close on Milan target Lucca

January 27, 2022

Sassuolo are ready to beat Milan to the signature of Pisa striker Lorenzo Lucca, further bolstering their Italian roster of attacking talent.

According to Sky Sport Italia, the Neroverdi are stepping up negotiations with Pisa and are ready to offer €10m.

The asking price for the centre-forward is closer to €15m including performance-related bonuses, so more talks are needed to bridge the gap.

The 21-year-old has been compared to Luca Toni and his height, 2.01m (6ft 6in) makes him a real powerhouse in the air.

Pisa purchased Lucca from Palermo last summer for €2.1m and he has scored six goals in 17 Serie B appearances so far this season.

He hit the headlines and attracted interest from Milan after a spectacular start to the campaign, finding the net six times in the opening seven rounds.

However, he has failed to score since October 2 in Serie B.

Lucca did make an impact for the Italy Under-21 side, scoring in each of his last two games for the Azzurrini against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

The news comes after strong reports Inter are lining up Gianluca Scamacca for next season.

The skills Dybala needs to rediscover if he joins Liverpool or Manchester City

January 27, 2022

Paulo Dybala has been linked with Manchester City and Liverpool, but the Argentinean striker would need to rediscover his false 9 skills should he join any of the two Premier League giants.

The Argentinean sees his Juventus contract expire at the end of the season and according to reports in Italy, he is unhappy with the club’s decision to withdraw a €10m-a-year contract offer they had placed only a few weeks ago.

Dybala could walk out of the club as a free agent in July with Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly interested in securing his services.

As we’ve already explained in another article here on Football Italia, Dybala has failed to impress when deployed as a winger at Juventus.

The 28-year-old is a support striker or an attacking midfielder who likes to come deep to get the ball, connecting attack and midifeld.

On paper, Inter’s 3-5-2 would be the best system to bring out his quality in the final third, but the Nerazzurri may not put the most lucrative offer on the table, not to mention that they are Juventus’ harshest rivals in Italy.

Antonio Conte would offer him the chance to play in the same system at Tottenham, but Spurs do not have the same status as Liverpool and Manchester City. Offers from England could definitely tempt the Argentinean.

Where would Dybala fit into Liverpool tactics?

However, Dybala can’t replace any of Liverpool or City’s wingers on paper as he doesn’t have the same pace and intensity.

He could be deployed as a false 9 instead, a role which he hasn’t covered consistently since his time at Palermo.

La Joya spent his first season in Serie A with the Rosanero, playing as a sole striker under Beppe Iachini.

Dybala scored 13 goals and registered ten assists in the first 35 Serie A games in his career before completing a €40m to Juventus in the summer of 2015.

Massimiliano Allegri has sometimes used him in the same role at Juventus, but the Argentinean failed to reach the same standards and has shown his best qualities when placed behind another centre forward.

Clearly, the physical strength of Premier League defenders is much different to those of Serie A and Dybala’s adaptation to Premier League football may not be easy at all.

However, La Joya has already played as a false 9 and working under two of the best coaches in the world, such as Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola, could help him rediscover a skill that he seems to have lost.

Fiorentina close in on New York City star Castellanos

January 27, 2022

According to TNT Sports Brazil, Fiorentina are close to signing New York City star Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos.

The Tuscans have sold Dusan Vlahovic to Juventus for €75m bringing in Basel’s Arthur Cabral from Basel and Krzysztof Piatek from Herta Berlin.

The former Genoa striker has already made his Fiorentina debut, while Cabral is expected in Florence to undergo his medicals over the next few days.

However, they may not be the only new faces to move to the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

According to TNT Sports Brazil, the Tuscans are also close to signing New York City star striker Valentin Castellanos.

According to the report, Castellanos is valued at €8m and talks between the Serie A side and New Work are ongoing.

His contract with the MLS side expires in December 2025.

It’s still unclear whether Castellanos would move to Florence in January or in 2022-23.

The U23 Argentina international was the best scorer in the MLS last term, with 19 goals in 32 appearances.

epa08221981 Fiorentina?s chairman Rocco Commisso greets the crowd before the Italian Serie A soccer match UC Sampdoria vs ACF Fiorentina at Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 16 February 2020. EPA-EFE/SIMONE ARVEDA

Origi offered to Inter, but Marotta wants Scamacca

January 27, 2022

Inter have reportedly rejected the chance to sign Liverpool striker Divock Origi as Gianluca Scamacca is their primary target for the next season.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter will sign a new centre forward at the end of the campaign, but Origi is not in their plans.

The Nerazzurri appreciate the Liverpool striker but are not interested in signing him.

On paper, his contract at Anfield Road expires on June 30, but the pink paper suggests he ‘should not be considered as a free agent’ as Liverpool will likely activate their clause to extend his stay at the club until 2023.

Inter’s primary target for June is Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca who had also been linked with Juventus.

However, Dusan Vlahovic’s transfer to Turin means the Old Lady is no longer in the race to sign Scamacca, so Inter will be trying to lower Sassuolo’s economic demands.

The Neroverdi value Scamacca at €40m, while the asking price for Davide Frattesi is €25m.

Inter value Frattesi at €15m and hope to sign both Sassuolo starlets at the end of the season.

Scamacca, 23, has scored nine goals in 22 Serie A appearances this term.