Is Serie A’s €1.4bn transfer deficit a balance worth celebrating?

September 12 – Italy’s Serie A has accumulated a transfer deficit of €1.4 billion – they were the second-highest spenders behind the Premier League in the last window.

While the Premier League spend as much as the other Big 5 leagues combined, this year the top clubs in Italy have adopted a different strategy.

The most expensive signing in Italy this year, Bremer, set Juventus back £36.9 million. In contrast, the Premier League’s top signing was Antony at £85.5 million, La Liga saw £72 million spent on Aurelien Tchouameni, the Bundesliga witnessed the £60.3 million signing of Dutchman Matthijs De Ligt and Ligue 1 welcomed Vitinha for £37.35 million in a quiet window for serial big spenders PSG.

The majority of notable signings in Serie A have come as free transfers or loans in what has been one of the lowest-spending windows in recent history for the Italian game.

Without the same punching-power as the Premier League, Juventus, Inter, Milan, Roma and co have had to play it smart. We’ve compiled the best signings from each of Italy’s top clubs this window – from both a financial and playing perspective;

Romelu Lukaku (INTER)

It was this time last year that Lukaku abandoned the Nerazurri for the financial fruits of the Premier League, returning to Chelsea in a record-breaking move for the Belgian striker. Lukaku failed to blossom at Stamford Bridge, certainly not fulfilling his £100 million expectations, scoring 15 goals across 44 games for the blues last season.

He departs West London for the familiar blue half of Milan, where he has proven his quality, notching the most goals in a single season for Inter since Ronaldo Nazario over 20 years ago.

Inter Milan have seen some real quality in front of goal since the turn of the century, housing Adriano, Milito, Ibrahimovic, Eto’o to name but a few, but Lukaku’s lethality dwarfs them all. Since signing for the Nerazurri in 2019, he has contributed to 82 goals in 98 games. If the Belgian frontman can rediscover his glittering Serie-A form, and reignite his plentiful partnership with Argentine Lautaro Martinez, he could be a deciding factor in Inter’s title charge.

 From a business perspective, this is an outstanding move from the Inter board. To sell their best asset for a 9-digit fee just for him to return twelve months later for a loan fee of £7.2 million is remarkable.

His current market value is £63 million.

 

Charles De Ketelaere (AC MILAN)

Now wreathed in the red of Milan, the 21-year-old is coming off the back of a breakout season in the Belgian Pro League for Club Brugge, scoring 14 league goals last term from midfield. At a price point of £28.8 million, he is the second most expensive signing in Italy this year, falling just short of Bremer’s £36.9 million move to Juventus.

Within the first five games of the season, the Belgian is already being compared to Rossoneri icon Kaka, with his dynamic midfield progression and intelligence. He also has a physical presence, standing at 1.92m tall, which, combined with his technical ability, makes him hard to defend against.

Currently operating in the centre attacking midfield position, he is also comfortable as a second striker or as a lone centre forward. He has immediately struck a partnership with Milan starlet and Serie A MVP Raphael Leao, as the duo look to replicate the Rossoneri’s heroic 21/22 championship win.

At only 21-years-old, CDK still has plenty of time to improve and is joined by some of Europe’s elite finishers in Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic that he will surely learn from. The future is exciting for the fans in red and black, as the team finally looks to be replacing ageing players with future stars. The past few years have seen Leao, Tonali, Tomori and Maignan all come in and have an immediate, outstanding impact, and De Ketelaere looks to be Pioli’s latest gamble to pay off.

His current market value is £27 million.

 

Paulo Dybala (ROMA)

This summer saw Juventus star Paulo Dybala trade in the black-and-white strip in Turin for the Roman sunshine as he joins Jose Mourinho’s ongoing project in Italy’s capital.

The Argentina international’s time in Turin was a blend of brilliance and frustration. An embodiment of natural talent and flair, Dybala quickly became a key player for Juve. He enjoyed a number of wildly successful seasons, winning multiple titles and reaching the UEFA Champions League final in 2017.

However, following the record-breaking signing of megastar Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, Dybala’s role as goalscorer/playmaker was scrapped to make way for the inevitable goalscoring of CR7. He was moved from his preferred position as second striker and even tried out on the wings. His form faltered, and was never properly recovered thanks to a bundle of injuries that limited his playing time, even after Ronaldo’s departure in 2021.

 

Now, he joins an exciting project. AS Roma are shaping into a very tidy team. Snatching Dybala from direct rivals Juventus was a statement of intent to the rest of the league. Dybala joins other notable summer signings Gini Wijnaldum and Nemanja Matic, and is expected to return to his favoured second-striker role behind in-form English centre-forward Tammy Abraham.

His current market value is £31.5 million.

 

Bremer (JUVE)

Replacing the Los Angles-bound Chiellini was top of Allegri’s list this summer, and with the departing De Ligt adding to Juve’s defensive shortages, a move for a centre-half was inevitable. The bianconeri turned to the standout CB of Italian football last season, Bremer, in what was the most expensive move in the window for any Italian side. The highly-rated Brazilian departed Torino for a fee of £36.9 million – even though he was the most expensive Serie A transfer, he wouldn’t dent the top 10 highest fees in the Premier League this summer.

 

At 25 years of age, Bremer has plenty of time to adapt to Juve’s style of play and mirror his 21/22 form. However, he has no UCL experience and has never played for a team pushing for the title.

His current market value is £31.5 million.

 

Giacomo Raspadori (NAPOLI)

Coming off the back of a sparkling season for Sassuolo, Raspadori has moved on a season-long loan for a fee of €5 milllon, with an obligation to buy for €25 million, along with another €5 million in various performance-based bonuses. The 22-year-old has 13 senior Italy caps, scoring three goals, and was part of the squad that won EURO 2020 last summer.

A product of Sassuolo’s youth setup, the Italian has spent his entire career at the Mapel stadium. Last year was his breakout season, as he scored 10 goals and notched six assists in the league. He also claimed Serie-a player of the month for January after scoring three goals in four games, playing one of those games on the wing.

 

Raspadori is a dynamic, fast attacker who is comfortable anywhere in the front line, but specialises in the second-striker role popularised by Paulo Dybala. At age 22, he is already Serie-a proven and is a regular on the team sheet for his country.

Raspadori’s current market value is £25.20m.

 

Alessio Romagnoli (LAZIO)

27-year-old Alessio Romagnoli arrives on a free transfer from the Serie-A champions AC Milan after he was not issued a new contract at the club. The ex-Milan captain will supply much needed defensive cover following the departures of seasoned centre-half Acerbi (loan to Inter) and young talent Luiz Felipe (free transfer to Real Betis). The Italian international has 12 caps for the Azzurri during an era where the back line was dominated by Chiellini and Bonucci.

Romagnoli has a current market value of £15.3 million.

Contact the writer of this story at moc.t1711655202enret1711655202nitb@1711655202gniwe1711655202jh1711655202