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Free Weekly Episode - Hojlund Sold To Man Utd For €85M, Musah Joins AC Milan, Inter Seize Samardzic, Juventus Snap Up Gonzalez & Much More (Ep. 346)
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From Atalanta record sale of Rasmus Hojlund to Man Utd, La Dea's greatest sales analyzed, El Bilal Traore the replacement, Fiorentina selling Sofyan Amrabat to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, Inter seize Lazar Samardzic from Udinese with Giovanni Fabbian going in opposite direction, to Roma close to Renato Sanches as battle looms with Nerazzurri over West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca, as well as AC Milan snapping up USMNT player Yunus Musah, Juventus signing Uruguay U-20 World Champions Facundo Gonzalez and much, much more as Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from a jam-packed week in in Italian football.
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Transcript
Welcome and Overview
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavale. Today is going to be a very, very
Transfer Highlights
00:00:18
Speaker
busy show. It's been yet another mad week on the Mercato. Rasmus Hoyland is joining Imagine United for 85 million euros.
00:00:26
Speaker
Atalanta have done it again. Incredible financial deal for them. Pound for pound, are they the best run club in the world? They have signed El Bilal Torre from Almeria to replace Hoyland. How good is he? Staying with Man United, Sofian Amrabbat is set to join from Fiorentina.
00:00:44
Speaker
There's a lot of movement with the central midfielders, Inter and Milan, both virtually wrapped up deals for Centre Mids. Lazar Sammatsic, who was on our show only a month or so ago, the left-foot wizard from Udenezer is set to join Inter. Eunice Musa continues the American Revolution at Milan from Valencia. Roma also close to signing Renato Sanchez on loan from PSG. They are also in a battle with Inter for Gianluca Scamaca.
00:01:09
Speaker
Juventus also about to sign a play for Kundo Gonzalez, the under 20 World Cup hero from Uruguay who plays for Valencia. There's lots of other topics we want to get through. We may not have time.
Podcast Promotion and Tools
00:01:21
Speaker
It's been absolutely mad in the Medcato. We will do our best. We also have, so please stay until the end, one of the all time great prim face crimes from Rory the Tory. So you have to stay until the end for that because it is absolutely hilarious.
00:01:37
Speaker
Actually, I've got two amazing ones as well. The other one I'm going to spring on you, Nima, because it's so good. So for all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode, which we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend's area action and all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian Football Podcast and receive all our content we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all the questions sent in from our patrons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show and interviews, post-match reaction and much, much more.
00:02:07
Speaker
then go to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT. For all of you listening on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, we'd really appreciate a five-star rating. Give us a follow, subscribe to us, we're on YouTube as well and it really helps us to grow. So let's get into today's show, but first a word from our sponsor.
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Speaker
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Atalanta's Financial Strategy
00:03:31
Speaker
Okay, Nima, let's start off then with Razma Toyland, who is set to join Manchester United for 85 million euros, 75 million fixed fee, then 10 million in add-ons. The deal is done. It's going to become official in the next day or two, a five-year contract plus one year for Hoyland at United. And the first thing that comes to mind here, Nima, is
00:03:57
Speaker
Atalanta, they really are the best team in the world when it comes to selling players and making profits on players, aren't they?
00:04:06
Speaker
It's not even close. I tweeted that out and people were talking, oh, what about Porto? What about Benfica? What about Borussia Dortmund? Borussia Dortmund sold Jude Bellingham and Arling Haaland. Atalanta sold Frankie Sia Galliardini and Rasmus Haaland. Like, what are we even talking about? It's not even a discussion. I mean, the list that we've got here, we have to re-go through it because I think that just ends that debate.
00:04:28
Speaker
Rasmus Heulen, they paid 17 million euros for him, sold him for 85, and a deal worth 85. Romero, paid 16, sold for 55. Amadiello, zero, sold for 41. Kulosevsky, 100,000 euros, sold for 35. Bastoni, zero, sold for 31 million.
00:04:47
Speaker
Brian Christante paid 9.5, sold for 30. Kesia, 0, sold for 28. Caldera, paid 0, sold for 25. Gossens, paid 1, sold for 25. Castan, paid 6.5, sold for 24. Andrea Conti, 0, sold for 24. Galiardini, 0, sold for 22. Musabaro, paid 0, sold for 13. I mean,
00:05:10
Speaker
It's not even a contest. Enzo Fernandez is a world-class player. Jude Bellingham is a world-class player. Erling Haaland is a world-class player. Okay, they screwed Liverpool, Benfica, for Darby Nunez, but... I mean, these clubs don't do amazing business. They're amazing selling clubs as well. Porto, Benfica. Yes, they are, but they sell quality. But I'm saying, if you compare the quality... You've also got to look at the size of the clubs. I mean, pound for pound, there's no debate. Pound for pound, Atalanta are a provincial club.
00:05:39
Speaker
These other clubs are big clubs. I mean, Porto and Binfico, they're historic clubs. They've won Champions League between them in the past. But what I'm saying is, what I'm saying is, even if you look at the quality, there's really only one or two, maybe three actual world class players on that list I read up.
00:05:59
Speaker
Yeah. But the others, like you said, they're bigger clubs, so they obviously attract bigger talent. But I mean, it's not, no matter how... That's what's amazing about it, Nimmo. Because if you take Rasmus Hoyland, we've been singing his praises. He was my pick. Absolutely. We know he's an amazing talent and he looks like he's going to have a great career. But
00:06:21
Speaker
The point of the matter is this. He started 20 games for Atlanta last season. He scored 10 goals in all competitions. Okay, most of that was in 2023. That's when he exploded this kind of year for club and for countries. He scored a lot of goals for Denmark as well. There's no doubt in the talent. But when you look at that, he started 20 games.
00:06:40
Speaker
for Atalanta, scored 10 goals, and they've managed to quintuple their investment on him in 11 months. I mean, it's just insane. And that just follows the pattern of those players that you've read out, like Ahmad Diallo, that they sold to United for 41 million. Yeah, who I spoke about last week. He played just four senior games before they sold him for a fortune. And then they ruled substitute appearances. Kulosevsky, he'd only played three games for Atalanta.
00:07:08
Speaker
For Atalanta, but let's be honest, he had a fantastic season of Parma before he went to EU in January, or six months there. But it's a different thing. My point is simply, no matter what metric you use, no matter what parameter it is, that list that I read up since January 2017, that makes Atalanta by far, pound for pound overall, they are the best club in terms of selling players and turning a profit.
00:07:36
Speaker
390 euros. I'm not just selling for discovering players, scouting players, then developing them, because you've got to develop them as well. Also, the youth system, a lot of these players came from the youth system. They've been with them since they were very young age. They weren't just signed at 18. They didn't do what a lot of the Portuguese clubs do in which they signed players from South America. Also, the other thing to mention about Porto Minficras, a lot of those players have third party ownership.
00:08:01
Speaker
When you put it on paper, they bought this player for X amount and they sold him for 100 million. Well, actually, they've got third party ownership. They're only about sometimes up to 50% of their contract. And actually not much of it is going to Porto and Benfica. So that you need to take into account as well. But yeah, I mean, Atalanta, they're just the way that the club operates for such a small club. But I mean, just to build on that as well, like for me, again, the quality of the players, Kikuti Romero, Bastoni,
00:08:30
Speaker
Those are the only ones that I would say are world class or world class adjacent.
00:08:36
Speaker
I mean, the rest of them, I'm sorry, none of them are. They're good players, many of them. Some of them are atrocious players. And some of them, the jury's still out on that. But that's what I was going to say. That's what I was going to say. Hojland is a player who I think, and I do sing his praises just like you do, because we think we both think he's a great talent. But again, we're talking about a player who had six good months, even that in the Serie A, and they flogged him for a deal worth almost 90 million euros.
00:09:03
Speaker
That is insane. It is insane. Absolutely insane. And that list that you read out, like you said, there hasn't been that many success stories on those. I mean, a lot of these, some of these plays have been huge, huge flops. Kaldara, massive flop. Andrea Conte, Conte, massive flop, Galliadimi, Kulosevsky, massive flop at Juventus. Then they then sold him onto Tottenham.
00:09:26
Speaker
Ahmed Diallo, so far, a massive flop at United. He's been loaned out to the Scottish League and to the Championship so far. He did well last season in the Championship, but let's see if he can do it at this level. There hasn't been... Kesier struggled at first, then he came good. Christante has been good, but he's not been 30 million worth. Gossens has been well. He struggled in the first year, did better in the last months, hasn't he?
00:09:52
Speaker
Still been a flop. Still been a flop. Let's be honest. Let's not beat around the bush here. Bastoni and Kuti Romero are the only ones to date today. I don't think Kuti Romero has been a sensational either. I mean, he's been good. He's been good, but he hasn't been. I mean, he's been better for Argentina. But what I'm saying is absolutely. But I mean, Tottenham's problems are well-documented and more related to Tottenham. The history of Tottenham. The history of Tottenham is a certain poet from Italy who said, look, but today,
00:10:22
Speaker
31st of July, 2023, when we're going through this Gianluca Mancini, another guy named on the list, that's not on the list. That's the level of the players that they've done, that they've sold that. Except for Bastoni and Cote Romero, there's not really been a single player who I think, I look at, wow, I'm sorry. And I'm not saying that Osman's Holum couldn't be that guy. Of course he can.
00:10:43
Speaker
That's part of the skill, isn't it? That's part of the skill and of just how good they are. But also the other thing, and we've said this before, when you have a system coach like Gasparini, sometimes players
00:10:58
Speaker
can look better than they are in the system. And then once they come out of the system, they struggle to adapt elsewhere. And I think that's definitely been the case with a lot of these players. I don't think it's going to be the case with Hoyland over the long term, maybe at the start, because he's done really well for Denmark as well. I mean, look how well he's been playing for Denmark. It's not just like, he's a big talent. There's no doubt about it. But that is just a word of caution. That is a word of caution that
00:11:27
Speaker
when it comes to buying players from Atalanta, you know, they seem to struggle when they're outside of the Gasparini system. So that's a reason why these players are so big for such big money.
00:11:39
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, a profit in six years, well, six and a half, because this is from January 1st, 2017, six and a half years of profit of almost 400 million euros. That is mental. That is just wow. I mean, it's just and again, look at the quality of the players. Look at the size of the club. It's a tiny provincial club in northern Italy. I mean, it's just nice. You got to have a salary bill of a championship club.
00:12:05
Speaker
You know, that just shows you how to qualify for three Champions Leagues in a row and really fight for the Champions League last season as well. I mean, it just shows how well how incredibly well run the club has been and why we say, you know, pound for pound, they are the best run club because what they're doing that they should be, you know,
00:12:26
Speaker
bottom half seriati no no no that's fighting for champions league every season so i think financially in terms of player trading and in terms of how you run a club when you don't have the revenue streams of the epl or state backing you up.
00:12:44
Speaker
They are the best run club from that aspect in the world. There is no one else who comes close. Not when you take every parameter into consideration. Absolutely. Absolutely. And they've already got their replacement. And this is the other thing about them. They always work in advance. They already had their replacement for Hoyland. And that is El Bilaltore from Almería for 28 million, which is actually a record transfer fee for Ratalanta.
00:13:10
Speaker
And he's really highly rated. He really came to the fore last season when he scored the winner against Barcelona. I think it was in February this year. And he had a few injury problems, but he got seven goals and two assists in 21 La Liga games. But he is lightning quick. I've seen a little bit of him. I haven't seen enough of him to come out and say, right, he's going to be as good as Hoyland.
00:13:39
Speaker
he is he's so quick he was clock running at 35 kilometers an hour so he's absolutely that's that's Olympic like that is very very fast he's a centre forward but he can also play on the right on the right hand side and only Nicholas Jackson who has joined Chelsea now 29.3% and Christian Stuani old sorry I played there 25.7% had a
00:14:04
Speaker
higher shot conversion rate than El Bilal Toure, 24.1% last season in La Liga, among those that scored seven goals or more last season in La Liga.
00:14:18
Speaker
You know, Atalanta have done it before and you can bet on them that they'll do it again. Well, they will. But to build on what we were speaking about on the Q&A pod that I raised, we had a question about Urinese and we had a question about what it means now that the big clubs in Italy are looking for these younger players, which traditionally is what the Atalantas in Urinese did.
00:14:39
Speaker
That's going to be interesting because of the fact that, you know, Atalanta are so well run and they turn a profit consistently and they have money to spend. If they can start spending at this level and start buying these talented players for 28 million euros at low wages, of course,
00:14:56
Speaker
That makes it really interesting as to if they can sustain this sporting success even past Gasparini if they get the coaching position right which is a big position but in terms of competing for the best youngsters and the best players that haven't exploded yet if they can pay a 28 million euro transfer fee for players of that quality
00:15:19
Speaker
That's incredible. That redraws. I mean, if they can do that and translate that into success on the pitch and continue this, that redraws the map of the city in terms of strength of club, like in terms of results and strength. No, absolutely. And this is also the root of signing players who are players that they see are going to become
00:15:42
Speaker
good investments. Now, they spent 17 million on him a year, 11 months ago. That is for a team like Atalanta, that is quite a hefty investment. But they did it because they were confident that they could improve him. And look what happens less than a year later, they've five times the profit, they've got exactly five times the profit, 17 into 85, five times. I mean, it's insane. So, you know, when they sign someone like the 28,
00:16:11
Speaker
Well, they're obviously looking at him and they're thinking, you know what, in a year or two years, we can probably sell him as well for 80 million maybe. That's the way they're looking at it. I'm not saying it's going to happen. That's the way they're looking at it. So, you know, I think it's incredible what they're doing. And yeah, they've got more money to spend now as well. So they can improve the rest of the team. So they're one to watch as well. And we talk about Serie A, how competitive, how open
Sofyan Amrabat's Transfer Saga
00:16:38
Speaker
it is.
00:16:38
Speaker
um well watch out for Atalanta they've got money to spend now and and they could they could bring in some they could bring in two or three el villal dores who knows and then you never know where what could they do next season so yeah very very very interesting sticking staying on Manchester United though Sofia and Amrabbat is is getting closer to to Fiorentina depending on who you listen to um if you want to listen to real journalists or fake journalists uh as as one hilarious
00:17:05
Speaker
get community guideline notes on Twitter, which is the most hilarious thing I've ever seen happen on Twitter, because it's virtually impossible to get a community note on Twitter, because of the on a transfer story, because of the fact that most 99.9% of those stories are he said she said they're not, you know, there's a lot of hearsay, there's a lot of unfair like stuff that's things that are typical. No, it's important. It's impossible almost at many times to
00:17:33
Speaker
to get, you know, to get verifiable, like objectively, you know, because you don't have like in God, like in politics where, you know, an authority comes out and says this is wrong or whatever. But that's how community notes work. But in order to get that on Twitter over a transfer story, that is a Herculean task. It's so incompetent that it's almost impressive. I'm really, really impressed. Yeah. Well, get back to the issue at hand. So Sofia number about is getting closer to most united.
00:18:00
Speaker
And the final fee, and we're talking about Atalanta and what an incredible job they do in getting, well, I'm not going to say the maximum value, I'm saying like the price is they get more than they should get for their players at Atalanta. Whereas we've been critical of other clubs, you know, the same team registered United by Nonana for 55 million, for example,
00:18:23
Speaker
We're now with the same situation with Amrabbat, because he's going to go to Fiorentina for 30 million, including bonuses. That's too low, isn't it, Nimr? I don't know. I wonder if anyone, I mean, like we had Nicole Omissul, who's the chief news editor of Fiorentina.IT on last week to do Fiorentina deep dive. And he said, look, basically, if they told him in January, they probably would have gotten a little bit more for him.
00:18:50
Speaker
Because his hype was so big after the World Cup and of course Morocco had a fantastic World Cup a historic World Cup So, you know, it is what it is. But I think that around 3035 that's his value. That's that's a normal, you know non-inflated value for him
00:19:06
Speaker
I think he's a fantastic player. I've always looked at him as a kind of a poor man's Brozovic because he doesn't cover as much distance as Brozovic did, but there are very similarities between them.
00:19:22
Speaker
you know the the number of balls that they play the first all-important first ball high up the pitch um the the patience with the ball although i think amrabad is much more direct but there is a lot of there's a lot of um similarities between them and i i actually think that this this is this is going to be this is going to be a good signing for man united definitely and if i'm not mistaken they know each other yeah they work together again amrabad yeah they work for me it's a massive understatement i've always been a fancy i've always been a massive fan
00:19:50
Speaker
about my back what i like about me what i want from my from my sentiment fielder is i want them to dominate the sentiment field it sounds very simplistic but i want my midfielders to win the midfield to be in control to win their personal battle against their their direct opponent or opponents to control the possession to you know to be the master in the center of the pitch
00:20:12
Speaker
I feel like I get that with Amrabbat all the time. I very rarely watch a game that Amrabbat plays and I see him get dominated by his opposite number. He's physically very strong, he's mentally very strong, he gets stuck in, he wins a lot of tackles, he's got that right, he's got that grinta and that right grit, which, you know,
00:20:32
Speaker
goes into tactical fouls. Sometimes he knows when to make fouls, but he can control the game. He doesn't score many. He won't assist many, but he wins the midfield. He wins that midfield. That's what I always want from my central midfielder. I think there's few better around. We saw that in the World Cup. We saw it in the World Cup. He was dominating the central midfield for Morocco in pretty much every single game. We saw it in the
00:20:55
Speaker
the Europa League, sorry, the Europa Conference League final against West Ham. He dominated Declan Rice in that game. We see it time and again with Amrabbat. I think 30 million is a snip for the player. Look, it depends. I know his contract is expiring next year, but so was Declan Rice's. So were other players who were going to go for big money and go for big money. So I feel like
00:21:20
Speaker
you know if this was at the land to set a number of that there's no way it would be thirty million it would be it would be forty five fifty yeah forty five fifty yeah and they probably wouldn't have you know he would have left that's another thing about a lot of they know exactly when to sell yeah so yeah it's that's also really important but no look it's um i i agree with that i agree with most of that i think he's all of that but for me it's
00:21:43
Speaker
I look at why Tanhag wants him and I look at that and I say okay well he's a he's a it reminds me of Brozovic a lot and but just with less miles in terms of how much he can cover because Brozovic is a smoked cigarettes and has lungs of steel which is insane I mean he's he's a he's just a you know freak of nature that guy because he just you know he has the world record for the most distance he covers
00:22:07
Speaker
for distance covered in a football game. I think he's got the two highest ever distances ever covered in a football game. Both are Brozovic and it's just insane. I mean, the man just never stops running. With Amra, but he's not as dynamic as he is. But I do see a lot of similarities between them and I do. And that's why I thought when I remember when Konta was linked with him and I was surprised he didn't get him when he was at Spurs.
00:22:32
Speaker
because I think he would have, you know, that would have suited him and his football. But no, look, I think it's bad for Fiorentina, of course, that he's leaving. But it's great, you know, it's great for Moroccan football to finally get a big player again in one of the big clubs in the world. And I actually look at what United have done this summer and I'm thinking I'm starting to see lines
Manchester United's Transfer Moves
00:22:55
Speaker
here. I'm starting to see something very interesting. Yeah, I'm starting to get a bit concerned as well.
00:22:59
Speaker
I've been growing up as Arsenal with my English team growing up, so Man United were not a popular team.
00:23:05
Speaker
And then there was the number 99, 75 as well. And I never liked Red Vines as a youngster, but they've done some good business. They've done. And I'm seeing they're buying young, they're buying intelligently. I think they're buying players that will help them play exactly like it continues the mold of what he had at Ajax. But of course, an upgraded version of that. I'm not saying they're going to win the Premier League or anything stupid like that. But I do think that they could, you know, top four for sure.
00:23:33
Speaker
And it'll be interesting to see what they do in the FA Cups and how far they can go in the Premier League and Champions League. It's looking really interesting. Yeah, and it's going to take some replacing as well, Fiorentina. We'll see if Alejandro can do it. They're looking at Nico Dominguez from Bologna.
00:23:48
Speaker
and a few other names. Listen to our last Thursday's Patreon only, Fiorentina Deep Dive. We're doing this all summer. We're going through all the big clubs in Celia and we're looking at their transfer business, players coming in, players going out, what they're working on and
Inter's Midfield Revamp
00:24:09
Speaker
Dominguez was one of the names that's on the Fiorentina shortlist. I think he's the main man. The Nicolo Misul said on Thursday from Fiorentina.it and he also mentioned that how Rocco Comisto gave him a yellow card. He's been on the receiving end of that.
00:24:28
Speaker
So you should definitely check that out. It was a great hours conversation on everything Fiorentina. So if you want to get updated on everything Viola, make sure to check that out, including the new stadium and many other things. Yeah, absolutely. Right, let's move on to Inter now then. And another central midfielder, Lazar Samatsic, who is now it seems, you can tell us on the brink of joining Inter for around 25 million euros plus the youngster Giovanni Fabian,
00:24:56
Speaker
Well, that remains to be seen because I think it's got to, it's including Giovanni Fabian. Including, I understand. Yeah. But that's from what I've understood from people I've spoken to. But we'll have to wait and see if the deal isn't done yet. There was talks of that Fabian didn't want to go, but then his agent, before we started recording, came out and said that that's absolute fake news. He's got no problems going to Ordineers. I mean, this was a play we did really well in the Serie B last year, who Inter extended with.
00:25:22
Speaker
and believe in and don't want to relinquish control over. So in the sense that if he's included in this deal, Inter want to have a buyback clause for a fixed fee because they rate him so highly. So it's an interesting signing. I mean, we had him on just a couple of weeks ago and it continues this kind of revolution that Inter are doing this summer of rejuvenating.
00:25:44
Speaker
uh in in key parts um of the midfield for sure i mean now if samadzic signing is completed with fratezi in well mikitalian leaving next season takes it takes a lot of stress away if if if mikitalian leaves next summer when his contract expires because you've already got him there and you've got aslani there as well um you got you know so so you've got a very you know they've rejuvenated the midfield by by a lot
00:26:09
Speaker
And so so now I you know, we I think everyone should go and check out our interview with him. He's a very He's a left. He's he's a fantastic or fantastic left foot. He's very mature. He's a very, you know down-to-earth guy But he's only 21 years old he had bought five goals and four assists and 37 appearances last season which is very good and
00:26:31
Speaker
No, he is. He's kind of an artist. He's a fantasy player. He's got magic. There's magic when he gets the ball. I don't want to call him a throwback, but players that you used to see more in the 80s and 90s, when they got the ball, you kind of expect things to happen. But there's a beauty in him. He's just got such a beautiful left foot. He's magnificent at free kicks.
00:27:00
Speaker
brilliant with free kicks, great long shot. He's got big potential. I love watching him play. The question I guess is,
00:27:13
Speaker
where exactly, what exactly is his best role? Not necessarily his best position, but like how exactly you utilize him. I think he's going to be played as a left Metzala in Inzagi's 3-5-2. Yeah. I think that's the position they're going to go for. Unless Inzagi decides to do what I've wanted him to do for many years, and that is play with a 3-5-1-1, and have, you know, have played Samadzic as a number 10, or Sensei, or someone else as a number 10, and then
00:27:42
Speaker
because in Zagis, midfields are very, very fluid in positionally, I should say, in terms of, you know, where the players play them. They change positions a lot in central midfield, but I don't think he's going to do that. So I think in the 3-5-2 he's going to play as a left Metzala, you know, alternating with Mikitarian. And to be honest, there are worse players in the world to study from than Mikitarian.
00:28:10
Speaker
No, I mean, insta's roster now, their midfield roster is magnificent. It's definitely the best in the area in terms of depth and everything. I mean, I still think in terms of first choice at midfield, it's out of Napoli and insta. I might just go with Napoli still, might just, seeing as Brozovic has left, but it's close. But in terms of, you know, over the course of a season, you need more than three players, you need
00:28:34
Speaker
you need backups, you need depth, you need different types of players and Inter definitely come out on top there for sure. The only question I would have though, is would, as much as we both love Samosic, we believe in his potential, he's not nowhere near the finished player yet, he's got a big ceiling, but did Inter need another central midfielder? Should that have been a priority for Inter, another central midfielder when they need a striker, they need a goalkeeper, they need a sense of that?
00:29:05
Speaker
Well, that's the thing, though. I mean, Turam and Lautaro are the starters. Correa is a backup and they're trying to get rid of him. And we're going to get into a striker situation as well soon. But, you know, you could say that they didn't. But when they I mean, it's quite clear that they want to they feel that with Turam, with Fratesi and Samadzic, that's the midfield and attack sorted in terms of starters. They created that.
00:29:26
Speaker
Then they look to the right and quadrado for just one year, stopgap. But next summer, the defense, I mean, it's clear they're going with Bastogne Acherbi Darmian and Bisek to kind of, you know, they've begun the rejuvenation there as well. So they feel that this back three can work for another year. And of course, if Sommer comes in, he'll be there for a year and then maybe another year.
00:29:51
Speaker
as a backup if they decide to go after Trubin or on a free transfer which seems to be the case as Trubin seems very very keen on joining Inter.
00:29:59
Speaker
if they don't, if Shakhtar don't sell him this summer, then there's a lot, there's a few reports suggesting that he'll join Inter on a free transfer next summer. So we'll see, we'll see. But look, I understand the question. Personally, I would have liked them to splash cash on the right centre back position, because next summer is then they have to do it next summer, because that defence needs a makeover. Potentially need two centre backs next summer.
00:30:25
Speaker
You know, well, they will need to send a fax next summer because they can't continue doing this because none, you know, that I'm going to be God bless during getting any younger. And and so so that's that. But I mean, look, some it's clear that they're they're starting the rejuvenation. They're going there. You know what we said all Italian clubs are doing, including Milan and you know, young.
00:30:47
Speaker
players, talented players, not too expensive wages, you know, that's what they've started. I mean, if you look at it, Aslani, Fratesi, Samajic, none of them is older than, what, 24. And Luz and Fabi, is that something you would have referred to avoid to Luz Tabin? Is he somebody that you believe? Well, I don't think they are. That's the thing, though. They have a buyback clause. I mean, they seem very adamant on having a buyback clause on him.
00:31:10
Speaker
So because they really believe in him and the player really wants that. I think that's that's one of the terms for him to accept the move away. When he signed that contract extension until June 2028 was that, you know, I want to be part of the. Yeah, just totally unrelated to Inter. Byback causes are something I think should be should be banned from football. They should be taken out. I don't think it's fair. There's too many big clubs and I'm not looking at Inter. This is just just this is just giving me
00:31:36
Speaker
brought it up to me now, but I see a lot of Premier League clubs, Manchester City, Chelsea, putting these buyback clauses and you know, we're talking about trying to prevent teams from hoarding players. It goes on too much. I think it should be outlawed.
00:31:52
Speaker
I agree. I don't like it either. I don't like it either. And it's essentially like a loan, but with, with interest. And I'm not particularly, I don't like it either. I think it limits also the, the small clubs in their chance of, you know, making. And you do the work, building up the player and everything. And then you can't plan for the future because you're going to lose them.
00:32:11
Speaker
No, I'm with you. I'm with you on that. I don't like it at all. But I mean, there was an attempt to try to stop it a few years ago, but that failed spectacular. But more broadly speaking, I mean, look, Inter was almost without a single player from the Balkans for the first time in many, many years.
00:32:28
Speaker
with Jeko and Brozovic leaving and we can't have that so we need to have one itch at Inter at all times and I'm glad that it looks like it's Lazar Samadzic who we had on the pod a few weeks ago and I think he's a very talented player and also is someone who
00:32:44
Speaker
as a character I think will suit perfectly into this. Yeah, do listen. If you can, go onto our YouTube page and we do have the full interview. The video. On video actually, yeah, with Samad Sitch. It's a very interesting interview, also about where he come from. He was born in Germany, but his parents are from the Balkans, from Serbia, and he had him play for the youth teams of Germany.
00:33:11
Speaker
then earlier this year declared and started playing for the Serbia national team. I'm the dragon stoikovich who was one of my favorite players as a kid. My player is the genius, an absolute genius. He's the coach and he was his dad's hero as a kid as well. Some interesting stories. He was a Barcelona fan growing up. There's a few interesting stories there. Staying on inset.
00:33:40
Speaker
It's Roma versus Inter for Schimacher. A few days ago, these things are changing all the
Gianluca Scamacca's Decision
00:33:45
Speaker
time. A few days ago, it seemed as if Roma were close to agreeing to deal with West Ham to bring Schimacher. Schimacher clearly has decided he's leaving West Ham because he's removed West Ham from his bio on his social media account. But it seemed like he was going to Roma. It was going to be a loan with a buy option, which would become mandatory if certain objectives and conditions are met.
00:34:10
Speaker
and then into kind of started to come in really strongly at the weekend with a potential deal that would be probably more beneficial or more preferable to West Ham because West Ham want to sell Schimacher, they want guarantees, they don't want an option, you know, a loan with an option. So how do you see it, Nima, at the moment, this race for Schimacher?
00:34:32
Speaker
I just want to, first of all, to everyone who listens. His name is Skamaka. Carlo is just using his Neapolitan dialect to pronounce his name in the most Napole way ever, which I absolutely love. Listen, I look at this from two perspectives. If you look at it from a football romantic point of view, if you look at it from
00:34:52
Speaker
the point of view of what Roma is and how they are in terms of the romantic side of it and there should always be a couple of Romans in Rome or at Roma then Skamaka really has to go there because he would be a cult hero
00:35:09
Speaker
You know, he grew up in the city. Yes, him and Fratesi, they both played for the Lazio youth teams, but, you know, he is a Romanista. Everybody knows this. And he's a Roma fan. Pellegrini's there. You know, he's the captain. I mean, it would be very, very interesting from that perspective. But from a strictly tactical point of view, and with Jose Mourinho there, I mean, I know Jose Mourinho doesn't mind Skamaka, but I think Morata would suit this Roma and his Roma much better. But then again,
00:35:37
Speaker
You have Mourinho's contract expiring in June 2024. Who knows if he'll stay? Many doubt that he will. Tiago Pinto, does he stay? Does he want to leave? There's reports today from an Italian outlet, Chronache di Spoleatoio, that says that Tiago Pinto and Mourinho hate each other, that they've fallen out, and one of them has to leave, and so on. That's not been confirmed or denied yet, at least not when we're recording this.
00:36:05
Speaker
So, but I'm starting to think that for me anyway, I'm thinking that I think Skamaka, given that Fratesi is at Inter, given that Inter are going after the young homegrown thing. And I think also with Skamaka's background and, you know, coming from very difficult background, he himself just a week or two ago said, you know, I grew up on the street. You know, I think for him to go back to Rome,
00:36:31
Speaker
I think maybe that would be a little bit too overwhelming for a kid who is obviously a very sensitive person. He's, you know, he's I think it would be better for him to go to another city other than Rome at this young at this point in his career where he needs to find some consistency after a meniscus injury and a meniscus operation and a failed tenure in the Premier League under under who you call the Scottish Allegri, which I think is so unfair.
00:37:02
Speaker
David Mois and Allegri should never be mentioned in the same sentence, because Allegri is a fantastic coach and David Mois is not so much. But I think the best thing for him would be to go to Inter. Obviously Fratezi who he's played with since they were like children of photos of them and since they were 7-8 years old in the same youth team.
00:37:20
Speaker
You know, they've gone, you know, grown up together through every step of the way and I also think in a simonin zagi system at inter with this new inter of Homegrown young and he'd get more chances and and I think it's a better environment for him to grow in
00:37:36
Speaker
But, you know, it depends on how you look at it. I mean, I don't understand that Roma fans would absolutely love it. I mean, he's he's he's he's he's a son of the city, he's a son of Roma. It would be very beautiful. But I wonder also financially if Roma can pull it off because they don't have any money to spend. They need to sell Roger Ibanez. See, I knew Roger Ibanez was going to screw Roma even more than he does on the pitch. So they need to sell him first and they have not been able to do that yet. And
00:38:03
Speaker
Now this talk of West Ham being open to letting Skamaka leave on a loan with an option to buy or which becomes an obligation and so on and so forth.
00:38:14
Speaker
on certain conditions. So I think that's something that, you know, I think that's why Roma are even in the conversation, is the players will and West Ham's, you know, opening up to this. But Inter can definitely get involved as well because they do have money to spend and they need another striker.
00:38:34
Speaker
There's also talk of, you know, if Inter managed to offload Correa, which seems more and more like a possibility now as well, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arab clubs are interested. So, you know, I think a lot would depend on Shkimaka's will as well. Like, I think probably deep down, he would love to go back to Roma.
00:38:57
Speaker
Of course, there's no doubt about that. He said it publicly. I'm saying now, even with the potential offer in front of him from a club as big as Inter, I still think he would prefer to join Roma. It's whether or not he's prepared to play it, to wait it out and
00:39:20
Speaker
if it takes to the last week of the window, then West Ham have to make a decision, you know, or...
00:39:27
Speaker
if the Inter offer is ready before Roma's offer is ready, then, you know, he's got a decision to make. I think it's going to come down to, it's going to come down to Schumacher at the end. I think both, as we discussed last week, there's positives and negatives for joining either team, just as there is for the other teams that have been linked with him like Milan and Juventus and, and, and, and,
00:39:53
Speaker
So yeah, he needs to move though. There's no doubt about that. There's no doubt about that.
00:40:00
Speaker
Italy, I think Italy need him to move.
Serie A's New Talent and Strategic Moves
00:40:03
Speaker
Italy national team. Italy need him to start playing regularly. I said it a few years ago that I think that the future of Azzurri No. 9 is Gianluca Scamaca. And I firmly believe that. I think he's got, he's a tank, but he's got these beautiful ballerina feet as well, the technique.
00:40:25
Speaker
and I think he's just an unpolished diamond and I think in the right environment he could really really turn to one of the best in the world quite easily because I think the talent is there I really really think so in terms of a number nine he's a classic number nine like prima punta he's got really good outside of everything in my opinion
00:40:47
Speaker
Yeah, okay. In terms of talent. Yeah, in terms of talent. And also staying on Roma though, Renate Sanchez's move to Roma is looking like it's closer than certainly Skimaka. Again, initial loan deal and then the option to make the move permanent.
00:41:07
Speaker
Sanchez's salary is too big for Roma, so PSG would pay a bit of that. This would be a potentially great deal for Roma. We know
00:41:22
Speaker
We know what talent and potential Renato Sanchez has, unfortunately, in his career. He hasn't quite managed to show it at the very biggest clubs, let's say, like Bayern Munich in the Premier League. You know, when it's been at the very, very top level, he hasn't quite done it. So we can see, you know, can he do it?
00:41:44
Speaker
Roma, Portuguese coach with Portuguese players in the squad as well. You know, potentially that's a good deal for Roma, isn't it?
00:41:56
Speaker
It's a fantastic deal. I think he would be perfect. This is again why I keep saying that I think Morata would be so good. I mean that midfield and Pellegrini, Di Bala, Morata would suit this Roma side under Mourinho so so well. So no, I think I really rate Renato Sanchez and I think he regrets going to PSG where it was a complete wasted spell so far. Yeah.
00:42:24
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Right. Also, another central midfielder, this time Milan, are about to sign Eunice Musa from Valencia, transfer fee of around 20 million euros.
00:42:40
Speaker
and Milan and Syria continue the American Revolution. And we spoke a little bit about Musa already on a previous show. So what I want to do is, out of all the Americans that have come to Syria this summer, so we've got Christian Poulassich to Milan. We've got Musa, who's about to join Milan. We've got Timothy Weyer, who's joined Juventus.
00:43:05
Speaker
And we've got following Balagun who could be moving to Syria as well, potentially Inter maybe, we'll see. So out of those that have come so far, who do you think is going to do the best and who do you think is, order them from one to three in terms of
00:43:26
Speaker
best to worst. Don't you, put you on the spot here. We can leave Balagun out of it because he hasn't, he hasn't joined. No, but I'd go Musa Pulisic, I think are clear. So you think Musa will be the biggest success?
00:43:50
Speaker
I think no. No, no. Who I think will be the biggest success. I actually think Pulisic will be the first American player to have huge success at a traditionally big European club. I think Christian Pulisic will do really well at Mila. I really think so. I think he's at the right time, the right age, the right time, right place, right moment for him to show after, you know, a bit disappointing spell at Chelsea, even though he did win important trophies there.
00:44:20
Speaker
I think he's, no, I think Pulisic will become, in terms of star quality, I think he will become the first US men's national team star to succeed at a big, traditionally historic, big European club. That I do think. But if we're talking today who I rate in terms of talent, I think Musa and Pulisic, you know, I think they're both of them ahead of everyone else, but I hold Musa a little bit higher.
00:44:44
Speaker
Yeah, I like Musa, what I've seen of him. I haven't watched him week in, week out for Valencia, but I was very impressed with him at the World Cup. I liked him and Tyler Adams. I liked both of them too. Obviously, Tyler Adams went to lead to a total basket case last season. He got injured as well. I liked him. I quite liked him.
00:45:05
Speaker
don't like the other american that was at the world cup and tell him he feels so much but those two don't even mention his name, western mckinney doesn't even get mentioned but what happens if western mckinney stays at uva and he doesn't go anywhere
00:45:21
Speaker
I don't know if I can say that on this show, to be honest with you. All I know is that Juventus have about 40 players in their squad and they have to sell about 15 players they need to get rid of because they're not in Europe. We'll come to that in a bit.
00:45:37
Speaker
I almost feel like Musa might have the most guarantees out of these. The issue that I have with the Musa signing is that I feel like Milan need a deep lie-in central midfielder, and unless they're planning to play Beneser there, but Beneser's out until the new year probably, and he's not going to get back to his best until when, with such a serious injury.
00:46:00
Speaker
I feel like Milan's going to buy a deep-line midfielder because Moussa's not, for me, he's not a six. He didn't play there for Valencia as a six. He played as a kind of a more of a mezzana, didn't he? I'm not saying he can't play there, but for me, it's like, who's going to play there for Milan? So again, same kind of talking point as we discussed with some of that switch.
00:46:30
Speaker
Was he a priority for Milan? Who's going to play in central midfield out of Milan? So those are the question marks. I mean, I do like him. What I've seen of him, I really liked him at the World Cup. And Pulisic, we know there's a player there. Weyer.
00:46:48
Speaker
I don't know. I mean, I wasn't a big fan of him as an attacker, but we'll see if he can adapt into this new role as a wing back. So based on that, yeah, I think I'm probably going to go Puda Sichmu's way as well.
00:47:04
Speaker
Yeah, I'm the same. And we're not even mentioning Weston McKinney either. No, no, no, we're not. We're going to assume that he's leaving. We're assuming to keep the family peace, meaning in order for Carlo not to have a meltdown. Well, I haven't said that. He could start for Juventus and they're friendly against Milan the other day.
00:47:24
Speaker
Fantastic. Fantastic. Okay, right. Just staying on Milan. So this has become a bit of a talking point following the news that Musa is joining. And that is the lack of Italians in the Milan squad. So in their 30-man squad at the moment, there's only six Italians. They're Calabria, Florencia, Pobega, Colombo, Sportiello and Milante. Now, out of those six, two of those are reserve goalkeepers, so they're never going to play.
00:47:54
Speaker
Then you've got Pobega, who could leave, still, back up central midfielder, and you've got Colombo, who is the third-choice striker and also could leave on loan. Well, he has to be loaned out, shouldn't he? I mean, they can't... There has been talk that he's impressed Pioli in pre-season. Well, of course he's impressed called Pioli because he's a fantastic talent. Yeah. I mean, this is... I hope... The point is this, that there's only six Italians. That could become three or four by the end of the window.
00:48:23
Speaker
I mean, is this how the tables have turned what is this? Is this a problem? Is this something that as it as thinking from the through the prism of the Italy national team? Is this something that we should be concerned about that team not Milan have such few Italian players are not even trying to sign Italians?
00:48:43
Speaker
I don't think so because I'm old enough to remember when everyone was saying, oh, look at you, when Milan, all they've got is Italian players and you silly inter, you don't have a single Italian player. And everyone's trying to pontificate on that and say that, oh, how bad that was for Italian football. And I'm going to say now what I said then, that's nonsense, got nothing to do with that. Because if you look at all the other teams, you see that the top teams in Italy, you see that there's quite a bit of Italian talent. And then you look at the youth teams and you see that
00:49:12
Speaker
that they're actually doing really well and that you look at the quality of the players. I don't think there's a problem at all here. But don't you think that is the problem? The fact that we had this debate when Italy won the under 19 Euros, just a couple of, just a fortnight or so ago, and we said that, you know, we've had a great summer, the under 19s, the under 20s got to the World Cup. Now these guys need to start getting a chance and they need to start playing.
00:49:34
Speaker
Well, if teams like Milan have just decided to sign foreigners and they're not given, you know, there's less and less space and the number of Italians are going down, it's not just Milan. I mean, Napoli only have seven. I went through and I had a look. Napoli only have seven Italians in their squad.
00:49:50
Speaker
have a look at the starting 11, one or two starters in the outfield players, Napoli, only Di Lorenzo is the only first choice guaranteed starter, you could maybe include Politano possibly on the right wing, but he's not a starter, we're talking about first team.
00:50:08
Speaker
then you've got Atalanta, who we just talked about. They've only got seven in their squad as well. Two of them are goalkeepers and one of their other Italians is actually Brazilian, Toloy. You know, Juventus, 11 in the squad, only three of the starters for Juventus are Italian.
00:50:29
Speaker
Roma, four starters, seven in their squad. In fact, it's only really inter that I've got a good number talking about turning the tables. It's only inter that I've got good numbers. Is this an issue? Are we not giving Italians enough a chance, especially when we're talking about with regards to the young players?
00:50:51
Speaker
No, I'm not worried because, I mean, again, I look at the Italian players. But the percentages are tiny, don't they? I mean, we're looking at record low numbers of Italians playing in Italian league. But that's a problem. Surely, never. That is a problem.
00:51:03
Speaker
That's got to be a problem. We're at a record low. I'm saying wait, let's wait. I think we should wait to see how this plays out and how it looks on the pitch as well. Because remember, you know, Inter with 13, Fratese or Skamaka, if he joins, Bastoni, Barella, the reason why Inter got them is because they were good enough. They were deemed to be good enough. And some of them demonstrably are good enough.
00:51:30
Speaker
And of course, all Italian teams would prefer to buy a player who's from Italy because they know the culture, they know the football, they know everything. You don't have any adaptation problems. But so I think it's too easy. I think it's too easy to go out and buy, you know, we're talking about Serie A being in a situation now where they haven't got the money to go out and buy established players. They're having to base virtually all scout for the same kind of players now. But the kind of players that, like I said, the Atalanta, the Zudanese would
00:51:58
Speaker
would scout for and sign. And now all the bigger clubs are having to go and scout those second level, third level or even lower in terms of younger players from abroad nowadays, which is fine. That's just how things are. But this also gives us an opportunity to actually
00:52:14
Speaker
give chances to our own Italian players. And when they're doing so well in the under-90s and under-20s, we should be giving these guys a chance.
Juventus' Season Focus Without Europe
00:52:23
Speaker
And I just feel like it's too easy to just go out and sign players from abroad, probably because those players abroad are actually playing in their league. So they're getting the opportunities and the experience to develop. And I just, like you said, let's see how it plays out over the next year, two years. But I am concerned, and I think Milan is a perfect example of that.
00:52:43
Speaker
of the concern about the lack of Italians that are playing. But we're still in the end of July, so let's hope that, yeah, let's hope that that improves. And I'm looking at one player in particular, Wilfred Nyonta, who's available for just 20 million this summer, which I think is a bargain. And I'm not seeing any Italian teams coming for him at the moment. That's another example of that. I want to see a team go for him. There's teams looking for outside attackers, Napoli, Guarentina,
00:53:12
Speaker
Why aren't they going for him? They should be going for him.
00:53:15
Speaker
Talking of youngsters and the other 20 World Cup, Juventus have signed a youngster, and that is Facundo. Well, they haven't signed him yet, but they're going to sign him very soon, and that is Facundo Gonzalez Valencia B. Centreback, who has agreed a five-year contract. He's 20 years old. It looks like it's going to be a very low fee, maybe even a free transfer with add-ons to make it kind of three to four million, a sell-on fee as well.
00:53:42
Speaker
Now this guy, I only saw him in the other 20 World Cup, he was brilliant in the 20 World Cup for Uruguay. He was a standout, maybe the standout player of the tournament, he was definitely the standout defender of the tournament. Really tall, big, very, very tall guy, but he was very, very good on the ball, I remember, left footed player.
00:54:02
Speaker
used it very well with kind of long, kind of bastani kind of passes, up the field, very progressive, kind of breaking the line passes, switching it, and he plays as a left centre-back. He played as a left centre-back for Uruguay in the under-20s, and he's been called up to the senior national Uruguay tribe. He hasn't played for them. I think he hasn't really barely played at all for Valencia's senior team, but he's been a regular for their B team.
00:54:31
Speaker
He looks like he's going to Juventus. They're going to loan him out straight away. I think it's been linked to Genoa and Sampdoria and another team as well. Yeah, I think it's good that they're doing this. They need to look at the future and they need to start rejuvenating. I'm happy that Juve are adapted. This is a new Juve. We'll see what happens and how it lands. But I think it's a smart signing. He was really good in the under 20s.
00:55:01
Speaker
As we've said many times, the step between senior and junior football and youth football is huge. Absolutely massive.
00:55:13
Speaker
Staying with Juventus, they have now been banned officially from Europe. We all knew it was happening. I called it about three months ago. I knew about three months ago it was happening. They've been excluded from the 2023-24 edition of the conference league and they've been ordered to pay a 10 million. The horror, the penalty. The penalty is the total penalty.
00:55:39
Speaker
Alegri's gonna shit house his way to Escudetto playing one game a week. Well, I'll say this with Alegri is, I don't want to hear any excuse. Again, like I said last year, I don't want to hear any excuses about Alegri. He's been tough for Alegri. He's had this, he's had that to work in. Well, I don't want to play it once a week.
00:55:55
Speaker
Right, while everyone else is sweating, I don't know what nonsense Juventus are going to come with this year. I'm just waiting for the allegory faces to make excuses for allegory this season when they're playing once a week.
00:56:13
Speaker
all i'll say now is at least at least he's got a whole week to train them and create those patterns of play now isn't he like on the training ground no i don't want to go over i don't want to go over stuff that we've spent a whole half a season going over i'm just gonna i'm just gonna say two things one i tweeted Juventus uh again
00:56:31
Speaker
weak, in my opinion. I tweeted that they're like a cuckolded husband, who then gives his wife's lover the keys to his house, because you may pull out the super league knowing that UEFA are going to ban them from Europe anyway. I mean, it's just like on your hands and knees to your oppressor, isn't it? Like basically,
00:56:52
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's that's the best of the way it is. That's the way it is basically number two Again, you wait for punishing. I'm not making it about you then does you a for punishing Italian teams and no one else? I look forward to you a for punishing Manchester City punishing PSG punishing Barcelona's your breath You know, I look forward to that
00:57:12
Speaker
And this is clearly not a political punishment, not at all, of course not. So that's all I want to say. I mean, if you want to add anything to that, you can. We've been over this a thousand times, so I don't want to dwell on it. But in terms of positive, in terms of positive is that you've entered so out of Europe. So.
00:57:29
Speaker
you know, they should be much, much better in Serie A. Playing once a week is huge. It's massive. It's absolutely massive to have that rest, to have that time on the training ground, seeing what Antonio Conte's done with it. So let's see what, you know, what Leggri can do with it. This is what the Serie A basically, they basically, when they did what they did, handed this over to UEFA and said,
00:57:53
Speaker
Well, you have fun with it then. Basically, our top four teams in the Champions League, we don't want to mess with that. The Europa League spots, we don't want to mess with that either. Enjoy. Here's Juva, the biggest team ever to go into the tournament.
00:58:08
Speaker
of your newly established European Cup, UEFA, you want to throw them out, be my guest. You're just going to be cutting your nose to spite your face. And that's exactly what happened. This is not a punishment for you. The punishment for them was to not be playing in the Champions League. Anything else other than that is just
00:58:28
Speaker
But one thing that I don't, one thing that I am disappointed about not being in Europe, I mean, as a competition, I'm not bothered at all, because it's the conference league, it's not a prestigious competition. What I'm disappointed is, as I said just before, Juventus have a 40 man squad. Now, regardless of how many competitions they may have, that's too many. That's way too many, obviously. But
00:58:47
Speaker
But, you know, Juventus have got a lot of like really talented young players. Now being in the conference league would have been a great opportunity to play some of these players and give them the opportunities which they're not going to get in Serie A and that would have been great for them to develop. I'm even thinking of like you've seen players, players like
00:59:05
Speaker
Dean Huysen, for example, who I think is a really big talent, but also plays from back from Lovela, like who else have they got? Miretti. Miretti, Fagioli, Illing Jr., Cambiaso, you know, these kind of players, this would have been a great opportunity. Now, Juventus not being in Europe, well,
00:59:33
Speaker
as what would happen with Atalanta not being in Europe last season, they're going to have to cut their squad massively and they're going to have to end up loaning or even selling players that ideally, I think a lot of Juventus fans wouldn't want to happen. And that's a shame. That's unfortunate. And I think it will be a big, big shame if they get rid of some of those younger players I've just mentioned, even sell them.
00:59:58
Speaker
because they weren't in Europe. So that's what disappoints me about them not being in the conference league. Nothing else disappoints me about not being in it. No, no. Like missing out the conference league when you're Uwe is about as punishment. There's no punishment at all. They did them a favor. But in one sense, it's good for Fiorentina because from what I understand, Fiorentina are back in the competition and
01:00:21
Speaker
This time, I really think they should try to go for it and win it, because I think, you know, it was annoying to see them not win it last season. But other than that, this is this is fantastic for you. I mean, once a week, they have a full year where they can rebuild and focus entirely on finishing in the top four, which I think is a given now. Could even who knows how good it could go if Allegri has the time to micromanage 38 games and treat them like 38 finals.
01:00:49
Speaker
they could even end up winning it, even though they don't have the squad to, and shouldn't do. It could absolutely happen. There's the first delivery excuse coming in. No, there's no queues. There's no queues. Of course they have the squad there, but they should. They not have the squad to win the squad. No, they do not. They do not. You look at that squad and you tell me that it's in any way, shape, or size, or form, in any way, close to where Inter and Napoli or even Milan are with what they've done on paper. Come on, of course football isn't played on paper.
01:01:17
Speaker
But you can't tell me that you ever have a squad to win this. They absolutely have the squad that they should be challenging to win this area. Absolutely. They should. Absolutely. It doesn't mean I think it's a great squad, but we're talking about Serie A here. We're talking about this is Serie A. We'll see where we'll see who's left at the end of August, because Vlaovic is probably going to. If you have Vlaovic and Kiesa and you attack, you absolutely should be challenging. Well, if you don't have them, that's exactly. We've had it revised that suddenly Kiesa and Vlaovic are not top players when they absolutely are.
01:01:45
Speaker
No, I'm saying if one of them leaves, it depends on who replaces them. I mean, is it going to be Romelu Lukaku? I think Romelu Lukaku is the kind of guy who wins you the Serie A. Yes, he's the kind of, you know, even in this form, he's the kind of guy who scores a 15 goals, 20 goals without even being as good as he was on the Conte.
01:02:03
Speaker
You know, he does the ugly stuff, which I legally likes, you know, he beats your employees and your lectures away with ugly goals, which, which matter in winning, winning the leagues. But we'll have to wait and see still too early to say, but look, there's, there's no doubt they're going to finish in the top four. This, this was the best, this was the best possible outcome out of a, out of a really, really horrible situation that they created themselves entirely. Okay. Right.
01:02:32
Speaker
Virati, we'll talk about Marco Virati next week. His negotiation is to move to Saudi Arabia. Let's move on to Badjo and Prem Face of the Week, because I think we're going to have a lot of fun with this this week. This is hilarious. So let's go to Badjo and Prem Face of the Week.
01:02:48
Speaker
Okay, starting off with Bad Joe. Who you got in there? Are we going with Atalanta? Atalanta for their sale of... Absolutely, if you sell, that's my sale for that kind of money. I can't pick anyone else but them. I mean, Jesus, what a fantastic deal that is.
01:03:05
Speaker
Yes, it's unbelievable, isn't it? It's amazing. It's truly, truly amazing. And a shout out to the Moroccan women's team as well who won their game in the World Cup. I think it's the first time ever. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing. I'm just thinking of that ridiculous question from that BBC journalist. Just absolutely insane. So rude. Absolutely.
01:03:30
Speaker
Oh gosh, right, okay, talking to prim faces, let's do prim faces of the week. I've got two absolute corkers this week.
Controversial Opinions and Media Errors
01:03:38
Speaker
Just, just, just Hall of Famers, both of them. And have you got anything?
01:03:43
Speaker
No, I'm well one of them is what we're gonna have so okay, or that is what I was gonna choose cuz I think that's okay So we've got a good old friend Rory the Tory who on talk sport? Said that last week. He said who did he say was unproven because they hadn't played in the Premier League last week wasn't it?
01:04:00
Speaker
Mbappe it was unproven. No, it's Onana, he said. Was it Onana that was unproven last week? Well, anyway, this week Killian Mbappe is unproven as he's not played in the Premier League. And I'll quote him. He says, the problem I have with calling Killian Mbappe the best in the world is he's never played in the top league and he hasn't done it in the Champions League. So that's Rory the Tory's latest gem. It's just, you know,
01:04:28
Speaker
Unproven because they haven't played in the Premier League. I don't know if I had a pound for every single time I heard that I would be a billionaire. As if as if it's like especially in today's era when football is so globalised and the top leagues are so similar of course there's difference in quality but it's not the 1990s where the Serie A was was such a huge difference in terms of
01:04:50
Speaker
you know, how, how they played the hat trick in a World Cup final, he scored, he was probably maybe the best player in the tournament as a teenager, four years before in France, winning the World Cup, winning the world cup. I mean, it's just, it's just like, what are you talking about? I don't know what to say. I don't want to say, because I think that there's, I think that sometimes I think there must be a limit for prem faces, but then you hear something like this and think,
01:05:19
Speaker
there is actually no, there is no limit. You can, you can just go, you can, if you can say it with Mbappe, then, you know, you can say it with Maradona. Actually, someone did say about Maradona, didn't they recently? They said that you wouldn't get to Sheffield United. Proven in the Premier League. Oh my God. Oh dear. Yeah, it's, it's just, yeah, they, they are, I mean, they, they don't, they can't be serious.
01:05:42
Speaker
no one takes them seriously and everyone laughs at them and it's like it literally is like a case of whoa you know the village idiot weekly or daily in his case you know it's just it is what it is right the second one is got this totally unrelated to football it's got nothing to do with football at all but I just saw it just before we were about to start recording and I put it down because it is just it is the best
01:06:07
Speaker
It's the best example of promphasory outside of football I've ever seen in my life. It's just absolute gold. So it was in the mail on Sunday this past weekend, and they were doing a story talking about who the next James Bond is going to be. And they reported that the famous actor Idris Elba's brother, Damson,
01:06:33
Speaker
was set to be the next James Bond. The problem is that the man on Sunday mistakenly believed that Damson Idris is his name, Idris is his surname. Now Damson Idris is a British Nigerian actor who was in Snowfall, I remember, a very good series.
01:06:52
Speaker
So his surname is Idris. Idris Elba. Idris is the first name of Idris Elba. Damson Idris. Idris is the surname. Right, his surname is Idris. He was born in Peckham. His parents are from Nigeria. So they may not suddenly mistakenly believe that Damson Idris must be the brother of Idris Elba, who was born in Hackney, parents from Sierra Leone and Ghana.
01:07:18
Speaker
I mean, don't they do they not have Google? Like, do they like that? I don't even know what to say to that. I don't know. It's so late. I don't know. I don't know whether you'd call it racist or casually racist or if it's just they've seen the name Idris or it's just I just I'm just trying to work out how this happens.
01:07:40
Speaker
like, like, I know, like, promphasory is just something that, you know, there's, like, there's just a gene missing or something that, you know, I just, I don't know, I'm just trying to work out how this I don't know who the guy that wrote the story is, how he possibly believes that this damson Idris is the brother of Idris Elba. But how is it? How does it get to it? It's just,
01:08:03
Speaker
But this is what I mean. Do they not have Google? Do they not have the internet? I don't understand. Before you write everything, this is what part of your job is. You've got to double check so you don't say stuff like that. I mean, that takes you five minutes to understand who he is. Yeah. But I could understand making that...
01:08:27
Speaker
I mean I still couldn't understand it but like if they had the same surname like this guy if this guy's name was Danson Elba or something you know you might just you know you might be a little bit tired and you just and you just might think oh it's his brother or he's related to him or something it's his first name against the surname
01:08:49
Speaker
I'm reading it now. And it's not just mail. Yeah. The Daily Mail. Yeah. The Daily Fail. The Daily Fail. Who's the writer? Who's the writer? Let's shame him. Come on. Name and shame him. What's his name?
01:09:06
Speaker
Let me find it for you. Yeah. Let me see. Could Idris Elba's older brother, Jesus Christ, I can't believe I'm actually reading that. Could Idris Elba's, no, they've deleted it now. Oh, you can't. Yeah. When you click on it, you can't find it. Yeah. They've deleted the article now. Okay. Yeah.
01:09:28
Speaker
I'll find out his name. I'll find out his name. So that was, I don't know, it's a close one. The Prim Face of the Week between Rory the Tory and this Maylon Daily Fail writer. It's a photo finish, is a photo finish, I think.
01:09:46
Speaker
It really is, and there's quite a bit of... Yeah, and also, one is the first thing, one is the surname, it's just... Yeah, all of it, it's just so cringy and painful. And it's like, do you think everyone called Johnson or Svensson, everyone's not related, it's just... Oh my God.
01:10:10
Speaker
Yeah, it's so cringy. It really, really is. Okay. On that note, let's call it a day. Thanks for everyone for listening. We will be back on Tuesday for the Q&A episode. Then on Wednesday or Thursday, we're going to have our Lazio deep dive, talking about the Lazio Mercato, what they're planning to bring in, the players they're planning to sell.
01:10:35
Speaker
Sergei Milinkovich's savage has moved to Saudi Arabia, how that all came about. Lots to talk about there. Who is that with Nimr this week?
01:10:44
Speaker
I'm waiting on confirmation because the person I wanted to do with that canceled because it's Italy and everything is a little bit like it is, but I'm waiting on final confirmation so I don't want to give quite a name just yet because I'm talking to a couple of people. Okay, great. But yeah, I'm really working on trying to bring someone who covers Lazio, who can do a proper Lazio deep dive, but yeah, I'm speaking to a couple of people. Okay, fantastic. Right.
01:11:09
Speaker
Okay, let's leave it at that. We'll see you on Tuesday everyone. Thanks for listening again. All the best. Ciao ciao.