Winter has arrived. The traditional Serie A winter break has been pushed back a few weeks to accommodate an “English-style” festive period. Now, with January in full fling, the clubs are taking a bit of time off to recover. So, naturally, it’s time to think about Serie A transfers.
With five teams in contention for the title in this incredibly exciting season, what will the teams at the top of the table be doing in the transfer market?
Serie A Transfer Rumors January 2018
Juventus
Alex Sandro is a wanted man. Photo: @DeadlineDayLive | Twitter
First and foremost, Juventus will be looking to tidy up their squad. Annoyingly for anyone invested in Serie A transfer rumors and gossip, the biggest club in the country have a penchant for sensible business these days. Still, that doesn’t mean they’re not capable of a weird, out-of-nowhere move for Tomás Rincón, who lasted all of five months before moving back to Torino.
In truth, the rumor mill has been fairly quiet for the reigning champions. Perhaps the biggest name is Emre Can, the Liverpool midfielder now entering the last six months of his contract. As it stands, Juve seem the favorites to snap him up on a pre-contract with a view to a summer move.
As evidenced by Sunday’s victory over Manchester City, Can is able to excel at the top level. For Juventus, being able to pick him up on a free seems like another excellent bit of business. It’s unlikely that Can will be able to leave this month, however, with Liverpool having just sold Coutinho and seemingly unable to extract Naby Keita from Leipzig at this point in time.
In terms of outgoings, Juventus could quite happily shed some of their unwanted players. As well as the youngsters and loan players. Trimming the squad players such as Stefano Sturaro is also possible, especially if a decent offer comes in.
Alex Sandro could also be sold. The Brazilian full back has seen his form fall off a cliff this season and a sale no longer seems impossible. But with Chelsea and Manchester United linked, it will certainly take a massive sum to tempt Juventus into selling.
Napoli
Gerard Deulofeu has fallen down the pecking order at Barca. Photo: @MARCAinENGLISH | Twitter
Napoli are in an interesting position right now. They’re top of the table with a real, legitimate chance of winning the league. That is the dream. Something every Napoli fan has wanted for decades. Finally, it’s within touching distance. So should they spend on their squad in order to heighten their chances? Do they stick or twist?
This season, squad depth has been the real problem for Napoli. Their first XI is a match for anyone but injuries have robbed them of the chance to rest their best players. In recent weeks, they’ve been running on fumes. With players such as Arkadiusz Milik soon to return, they might not need to spend to win the league. But they do seem willing to invest.
The two main targets are Simone Verdi from Bologna and Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona. The former is essential to his team and would take at least €20 million to purchase, while the latter seems fixed to Barca’s bench and could be had for as little as €12 million. Both are flexible enough to cover both the wide forward positions, bolstering the thinnest part of Napoli’s squad.
Right now, it seems as though Napoli want to bring in cover for their team. Expect them to spend, but not too heavily. That Scudetto is in sight. They just need a bit of help to cross the finishing line and a canny bit of business could be exactly what they need.
Roma
Is it the end for Radja Nainggolan at Roma? Photo: @BBCSport | Twitter
As recently as six months ago, selling Radja Nainggolan was unthinkable for the Roma hierarchy. But after a series of disciplinary issues and the team performing well in his absence, the management now seem to be entertaining a big offer from Fabio Cannavaro’s Guangzhou Evergrande team in China. Given the sales tax which now exists for Chinese teams hoping to bring in foreign players, Evergrande would have to effectively double Roma’s already-high asking price. It could well happen.
Similarly coveted is the side’s goalkeeper, Allisson, who has been linked with top teams across Europe. However, selling the Brazilian keeper in the winter seems far less likely.
Of course, the appointment of Monchi in the summer means trying to predict Roma’s transfer business is difficult. Selling players for big sums allows the Spanish sporting director to reinvest the money in a number of out-of-favor and undervalued players. Likely, we won’t see Roma spend unless they sell.
Inter
Former Chelsea midfielder Ramires is a rumored target. Photo: @DeadlineDayLive | Twitter
This season, Inter have been excellent. But just before the winter break, they were terrible. Stumbling and faltering, the team looked impotent and Luciano Spaletti used his press conferences to call for reinforcements. The club seemed to be willing to back their manager but concerns about Financial Fair Play limited their possible moves.
Still, they have a number of deals on the go. Ramires, the Brazilian midfielder formerly of Chelsea, might be tempted to make the move from China to Milano. Further midfield reinforcements could materialize in the shape of Rafinha from Barcelona (brother of Bayern’s Thiago and son of Brazil’s Mazinho), who would compete for the midfield creator spot with Borja Valero. Both deals could take the form of that enduring Italian classic, loans-with-an-option-to-buy.
Most importantly of all, Inter will need to hang on to their two star players, Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic. The Argentinian striker will almost certainly stay, especially ahead of the World Cup in Russia. The Croatian winger, however, could tempt Manchester United once again. He stayed over the summer and signed a new contract, but Inter might be tempted to cash in if they need to fund other transfers.
It seems unlikely, however, and Spaletti will probably be offered a few chances to reinforce his team without selecting from the top quality bracket.
Lazio
Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij is wanted at Juventus. Photo: @IndyFootball | Twitter
The season’s surprise package. Lazio remain in contention for a Champions League position and even – whisper it – a shot at the title. Essentially, they’re having the season Milan wanted to have. The key to Lazio’s success has been a settled team, an excellent manager and a few players have had landmark seasons. Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto will not leave this January but there are question marks at the back.
Much of Lazio’s defensive success has been built on the skills of Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij. The centre back’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, a fact which has caught the eye of Juventus. According to the Lazio management, a new deal with a release clause is in the works and this could be the most important move Lazio make this window.
However, planning for a potential De Vrij exit seems sensible. In the short term, that cover seems to be Martin Caceres, the experienced (and injury prone) former Juventus defender. Lazio simply do not have the kind of money available to their rivals, so loan moves, young players, and free transfers could form the bulk of their business. Get it right, however, and they could have a lot more money to throw around come the summer.
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