The Serie A transfer window, the mercato, closed last Friday ahead of the new season kicking off on the Saturday. As always, each club made plenty of interesting signings but the purpose of this article is to look at one key signing every club made during the summer. It might not be the biggest signing but the one that will be most vital to the club or might elevate them to a new level. Or it might be one for the future. Let’s head straight into it.
Atalanta
Key signing: Mario Pašalić Age: 23 Position: Attacking midfield
The Croatian midfielder has been loaned in from Chelsea, another loan spell for a player recently spending temporary time at Elche, Monaco, Milan and Spartak Moscow. Pašalić has been brought to Bergamo to replace Bryan Cristante’s energy and contribution in the final third. It started well with the Croatian scoring on his debut against Frosinone. Pašalić can play in one of the two central midfield positions but he will mainly be deployed behind the striker in Atalanta’s 3-4-2-1 as the right-sided attacking midfielder. If Atalanta are to repeat their success in the last two seasons they need the Croatian to hit the ground running and he has all the ability needed to do so.
Bologna
Key signing: Federico Santander Age: 27 Position: Striker
Bologna have signed well to make the squad suitable for new coach Filippo Inzaghi’s preferred 3-5-2. New wing-backs Mattiello and Dijks will be important, as will new centre-back Danilo and goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, but I feel the addition of Federico Santander will be key to their chances this term. The Paraguayan striker joins from FC Copenhagen where he scored 38 league goals in 82 matches. If he can get between 10-15 goals in Italy then Bologna will have found a striker who could fire them towards the top 10.
Cagliari
Key signing: Filip Bradarić Age: 26 Position: Central midfield
Bradarić arrives in Italy after a summer with the Croatian national team where he was part of their midfield options. Given the quality they possess, he failed to make it onto the pitch but still the fact he was in the squad tells you how good this midfielder is. Cagliari will play a 4-3-1-2 with new coach Rolando Marán this season and Bradarić should have no trouble fitting into the midfield when given the chance. He started the season on the bench, but Cagliari’s loss might open the door for him already in the next match.
Chievo
Key signing: Emanuele Giaccherini Age: 33 Position: Attacking midfield/winger
Giaccherini isn’t an entirely new face for Chievo fans, he did spend last season on loan at the club, but he has now signed permanently on a free transfer from Napoli. The former Italian international brings quality the Chievo squad severely lacks. His close control and dribbling is very good, and he brings an element of creative passing in the final third which will be vital to Chievo’s attacking play. He demonstrated this already in the opener against Juventus when it was his superb cross that found the head of fellow new arrival Mariusz Stepinski to score against the champions. Great signing for Chievo.
Empoli
Key signing: Leonardo Capezzi Age: 23 Position: Defensive midfield
Capezzi has been tipped for big things for a number of years now but has failed to really impress in Serie A. The regista spent last season as Lucas Torreira’s back-up at Sampdoria but will now find himself as the playmaker in charge of making Empoli tick. The 23-year-old is a very good passer and needs to find consistency this season as Empoli strive to stay up. Capezzi will sit at the base of a midfield diamond and look to feed the creative number 10 Miha Zajc and the two strikers. He will be absolutely vital to Empoli’s success this season.
Fiorentina
Key signing: Marko Pjaca Age: 23 Position: Winger
Another Croatian player on this list, Marko Pjaca joins Fiorentina on loan from Juventus after failing to establish himself in the fierce attacking competition in Turin. An early injury ruined much of his spell at Juve and a loan move to Schalke 04 last season wasn’t a resounding success either. Now, however, Pjaca comes to a club with a great history in making Balkan attackers thrive and one where he will likely get a chance on one wing with Federico Chiesa on the other. There’s competition at Artemio Franchi too with Kevin Mirallas also joining the club in the summer, but Pjaca can really flourish in Florence.
Frosinone
Key signing: Marco Sportiello Age: 26 Position: Goalkeeper
Frosinone have signed a lot of players this summer, but they’ve hardly made any deal permanent. There are just a whole bunch of loans. They’ve been smart though, bringing in experience like Cristian Molinaro and Emil Halfredsson and Serie A quality talents like Lorenzo Crisetig and Eduardo Goldaniga while also adding players like Joel Campbell. The one that stands out though is goalkeeper Marco Sportiello. When he came through at Atalanta, Sportiello was linked with moves to all the big Italian clubs but has seen opportunities limited in Bergamo after the rise of Etrit Berisha. Sportiello spent last season at Fiorentina, who decided against making the loan permanent. Sportiello has a lot to prove this season, but in a team that will largely defend in most games, the goalkeeper will be key and a good season could see the 26-year-old play his way into Roberto Mancini’s Italy plans ahead of Euro 2020.
Genoa
Key signing: Luca Mazzitelli Age: 22 Position: Central midfield
Genoa have signed plenty of experienced players like Domenico Criscito and Federico Marchetti, but the ones that really excite are the two young Italian midfielders Lorenzo Callegari and Luca Mazzitelli who joins from PSG and Sassuolo respectively. Of these two, Mazzitelli seems the obvious to go into the starting eleven straight away. The Italian U21 international have enjoyed two first-team seasons at Sassuolo and has largely impressed. His energy, aggressiveness and passing ability will suit Davide Ballardini’s style of play well and Mazzitelli’s performances for Genoa will be interesting to follow.
Inter
Key signing: Radja Nainggolan Age: 30 Position: Attacking midfield
Inter have made some brilliant signings; Stefan De Vrij, Lautaro Martinez, Keita Baldé and Šime Vrsaljko are all superb players. But the player who will make Inter title candidates is the Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan. He joins from Roma after two great seasons where his club first pushed Juventus close in 2016/17 with Nainggolan enjoying a brilliant season and then reached a Champions League semi-final in 2017/18. His winning mentality, strength, energy and goalscoring will all be key assets to Luciano Spalletti’s Inter. Probably playing as the number 10 behind Mauro Icardi, Nainggolan will have a key role he’s sure to relish.
Juventus
Key signing: Emre Can Age: 24 Position: Central midfield
Yes, I know that Juventus have signed Cristiano Ronaldo. But goalscoring wasn’t where Juve had issues last season. After all, they had Italy’s second best attack and scored 86 league goals. The signing of Can will be an improvement on Sami Khedira in central midfield and Can’s energy, aggressiveness, pressing ability and quality in possession will make Juve a better team. I expect him to be slowly integrated, but come December he will be a regular and he will shine.
Lazio
Key signing: Francesco Acerbi Age: 30 Position: Centre-back
Lazio are always astute in the transfer market and this summer has proved no different with a number of exciting, cheap signings. The main arrival is the Italian centre-back Francesco Acerbi who has been signed to replace Stefan De Vrij at the heart of defense. The Dutchman was key to Simone Inzaghi’s back-three as the central centre-back and it will be a tough ask to replace him. Acerbi has the ability to succeed though. His passing ability will add a new dimension to Lazio’s possession play, and his excellent positional sense will be important defensively. After years of consistent performances at Sassuolo, Acerbi now has his chance at a big club.
Milan
Key signing: Gonzalo Higuain Age: 30 Position: Striker
Higuain is well-known to the Serie A crowd, but that only makes him more of an exciting signing for Milan. After exploding at Napoli in 2015/16, Higuain has secured two Serie A titles at Juventus and now arrives in at Casa Milan to try and restore the club to the top. It’s a fantastic signing for Milan since the strikers hardly were up to the quality they have in defense and midfield. Milan all of a sudden look like a team who can challenge for the top four and have realistic ambitions of finishing ahead of some of their strong rivals.
Napoli
Key signing: Fabián Ruiz Age: 22 Position: Central midfield
Not much has changed in terms of Napoli’s starting eleven apart from in goal where three new goalkeepers have been signed (Meret, Karnezis and Ospina). Spanish midfielder Fabián Ruiz could be one to break into the eleven though. Ruiz enjoyed a stunning campaign in La Liga with Real Betis last season and will bring even more quality in possession to the team. Ancelotti preferred Piotr Zielinski in the season opener, but Ruiz might soon get his chance to stake a claim.
Parma
Key signing: Leo Štulac Age: 23 Position: Central midfield
Parma have made some superb signings upon their return to Serie A with well-established stars like Luca Rigoni, Roberto Inglese and Gervinho making the move to the club. The most exciting arrival, however, is the 23-year-old Slovenian midfielder Leo Štulac. Štulac had a marvellous season at Venezia last season and now arrives at Parma after a summer when plenty of midtable Serie A clubs chased his signature. Štulac brings passing ability to the base of Parma’s midfield three, but also a thunderous shot from distance which will always be a threat. Look out for this Slovenian this season.
Roma
Key signing: Robin Olsen Age: 28 Position: Goalkeeper
The Swedish number 1 goalkeeper arrives as Alisson’s replacement, which will be an almost impossible act to follow in Rome. Roma have made a host of signings of young talented players and some who might challenge for a place in the eleven but the only one certain of starting every game is the Swede. Olsen enjoyed an impressive World Cup but the Serie A is a substantial step-up from the Danish league and Olsen will have to deliver if Roma are to once again reach the Champions League.
Sampdoria
Key signing: Lorenzo Tonelli Age: 28 Position: Centre-back
Sampdoria have made some interesting signings with players like Jakub Jankto, Gregoire Defrel, Omar Colley and Albin Ekdal arriving but no one will be more key to their success this term than new defender Lorenzo Tonelli. Tonelli enjoyed a superb 2015/16 with Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo at Empoli before being signed by Napoli. Tonelli then hardly played at San Paolo in two seasons before now being reunited with his former coach. The Italian will replace club stalwart Matias Silvestre at the heart of defense and he needs to deliver if Samp should continue their rise towards the top.
Sassuolo
Key signing: Federico Di Francesco Age: 24 Position: Winger
Sassuolo have signed a whole bunch of attacking players to fit into new coach Roberto De Zerbi’s plans. Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jeremie Boga, Enrico Brignola, Filip Đuričić and Khouma Babacar are just five examples. The pick of the bunch, however, is current Roma coach and former Sassuolo boss Eusebio Di Francesco’s son Federico. The 24-year-old winger has appeared for the Italian U21s and has shown glimpses of his ability at Bologna. He now joins Sassuolo as a key man on the right wing. Along with fellow new arrival Manuel Locatelli he can establish a new young core for an exciting attacking Sassuolo.
SPAL
Key signing: Andrea Petagna Age: 23 Position: Striker
SPAL are extremely well-run and have shown that again this summer with astute dealings. The arrival of the experienced Simone Missiroli will be key, and so will the capture of Petagna. Petagna joins from Atalanta where he found himself outside the eleven come the end of the season after impressing hugely in 2016/17. He’s slotted straight in at SPAL, started the season opener and looks set to build a strike partnership with the talisman Mirko Antenucci. Petagna is a good striker and he will prove a clever signing for SPAL.
Torino
Key signing: Soualiho Meïté Age: 24 Position: Central midfield
Meïté enjoyed a breakout season at Monaco last season and made 20 Ligue 1 appearances for the club with most being starts. The midfielder has now joined Torino in a swap deal that saw left-back Antonio Barreca go the other way. Meïté was given the nod in the eleven for the opener against Roma and didn’t disappoint. He will battle with Roberto Soriano for the third midfield spot in Walter Mazzarri’s 3-5-2 but it seems the 24-year-old has every chance of being a hit in Turin.
Udinese
Key signing: Rolando Mandragora Age: 21 Position: Central midfield
The Juventus starlet impressed at Crotone last season but was sold in the summer to Udinese for the relatively huge price-tag of €18m. What Udinese get is a very talented 21-year-old midfielder who made his senior international debut this summer. What Mandragora gets is a chance to play week in, week out at a good club in the top division. Mandragora’s defensive strengths and passing ability will be a big asset to Udinese’s season and it will be interesting to follow his progress. Maybe Juventus will come to rue this decision.
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Well there you have it. 20 players to watch out for this season, one new signing from each club. Are you as excited as us for the new European season in general but mostly the Italian in particular? There will be drama, there will be goals and there will be goalless draws. Let’s have it!
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