Focus on Inter, Napoli and Fiorentina January transfer strategies | by Pierpaolo Marino
Inter and Fiorentina are closing in on the signings of Eder and Emanuel Mammana respectively, while Napoli have already welcomed the services of Alberto Grassi: three players who were not on the clubs’ target at the beginning of January window and who’ll be joining their new clubs in the last few hours of the repair market.
Let’s try to find out how the transfer strategy of Inter, Napoli and Fiorentina has been evolving in January
INTER – The club’s priority was a playmaker, with Andrea Pirlo topping Roberto Mancini’s wish-list, but il Maestro rejected the Nerazzurri approach in December.
Inter, in turn, had to change their January transfer priority, pouncing on a fast winger, good in one-to one dribbling, namely Ezequiel Lavezzi.
History repeated itself when Erik Thohir decided to close the deal as a Chinese club had already offered € 15 million to PSG to secure the player’s services. Lavezzi turned down his move in China, despite having been offered almost € 7 million a year.
You know already that Lavezzi is out of contract in the summer and his decision of remaining at PSG until his contract expires has upset everyone at the club. PSG, now, are not eager to sell him for less than € 15 million, that’s why he won’t join Inter in the current transfer window.
Sampdoria’s leading scorer Eder will sign with the Biscione instead. A very skilled and talented player, but who’s very different from the PSG ace.
NAPOLI – Kramer, André Gomes, Herrera: the Partenopei were dreaming of signing one of these three players in January, but eventually they swoop on Alberto Grassi instead. The 20-year-old central midfielder has been more than unlucky picking up a meniscus injury in his first Napoli training session. He has been ruled out for three weeks and Napoli are now forced to find another central midfielder, with Verona’s Artur Ionita who has recently emerged as a plausible last-minute option.
Maurizio Sarri is also seeking for a central defender. The Serie A table leaders are working to bring Federico Barba to the San Paolo after that Torino rejected all offers for Maksimovic.
FIORENTINA – River Plate’s central defender Emanuel Mammana is close to joining the Franchi for € 9 million. He is that kind of central defender that Paulo Sousa was desperate do sign, though the Portuguese gaffer would have preferred to have Benfica’s Lisandro Lopez instead.
Despite Inter, Napoli and Fiorentina lack of planning on the January transfer window, all these last-minute signings could raise the teams’ level from now on.
You know, the ball it wouldn’t be the first time that an impulsive transfer strategy leads to better results than a well programmed one.
Pierpaolo Marino, translated by Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
