Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Free Weekly Episode - Romelu Lukaku To Juventus, Juan Cuadrado to Inter, Leonardo Bonucci Out, Franck Kessie In, Tijjani Reijnders To AC Milan, Italy U19's Win Euro 2023 & Much More (Ep. 342)
2.5k Plays2 years ago
From Romelu Lukaku soap opera leading Inter to look at Folarin Balogun, Mehdi Taremi or M'Bala Nzola after signing Juan Cuadrado, Juventus kicking out Leonardo Bonucci while wanting to sign Franck Kessie, AC Milan signing Tijjani Reijnders and eye Yunus Musah, Roma want one of Alvaro Morata or Gianluca Scamacca, to Lazio wrap up Valentin Castellanos signing as Ciro Immobile's future unclear and Fiorentina close to Arthur Melo after getting Fabiano Parisi as well as this week's Baggio and Premface of the week and much, much more as Nima and Carlo break down all the talking points from a jam-packed week in in Italian football.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free for all.
To get ALL and never miss an episode of The Italian Football Podcast (as well as support the show), go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast.
Lukaku Transfer Saga: Juventus vs Inter
00:00:11
Speaker
I'm Carlo Garganese here as always with Nima Tovale and the last few days in the medcato have been absolutely crazy even by Italian standards and we could do
00:00:24
Speaker
Probably a whole show alone on the Romelu Lukaku soap opera and a furious into pulling out of negotiations because Lukaku was Negotiating with the eventus behind their back. He went AWOL and Lukaku now looks
00:00:39
Speaker
set to probably join Juventus in what would be one of the biggest shock transfers. I can never remember. There's so much to discuss about this. And if that wasn't enough, Juan Cuadrado is joining Inter after so many years at Juve. So it just gets crazier and crazier. And Juve have frozen Leonardo Benucci out the squad. So what does that mean for his future? Juventus are also in talks to sign Frank Kesie. There's lots to talk about on today's show with Juve.
00:01:07
Speaker
Milan will complete the signing of Tijani Reinders from AZ.
Italy's Under-19 Victory Celebration
00:01:13
Speaker
We have some insight on what to expect from him. Fiorentina have made one of the signings of the summer in Pabiano Parisi for just 11 million euros. It's crazy though. Roma are battling between
00:01:26
Speaker
signing Maratta, Alvaro Maratta and Gianni Coscemaca. And finally, away from the Mercato, we will celebrate Italy Under-19's winning the European Championship on Sunday. Italy finally win a final this season after so many defeats at the very final hurdle.
Podcast Bonus Content and Listener Engagement
00:01:46
Speaker
so lots to talk about and for all our first time listeners this is our free weekly episode which we do every monday reviewing the weekend seria action and all the biggest talking points in italian football if you want to support the italian football podcast receive all our content we do throughout the week including our weekly q&a episode every tuesday where we answer all the questions sent in from our patreons plus
00:02:07
Speaker
the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more. 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 that listen on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, we'd really appreciate giving us a five star rating. Give us a follow, give us a subscription. We're on YouTube as well. It really helps to help us grow.
Juventus' Strategy and Lukaku's Role
00:02:35
Speaker
Okay, let's start off then with Romelu Lukaku. Okay, right. There's so much to talk about here with Lukaku, so we'll try and split it up into different sections. First of all, just to summarize the situation, Inter have ended negotiations with Chelsea over the weekend after Lukaku and his lawyer failed to reply to phone calls from
00:03:02
Speaker
club directors, inter-club directors, on Friday and that suggested that, well, did he actually still want to return to winter? Very, very bizarre because it seemed like this was going to happen. It now looks like Lukaku is on his way to Juventus. Juventus have
00:03:23
Speaker
a verbal offer of 40 million euros, including add-ons, but they will only make their move once Dusan Vlaovic's sole PSG are set to make an official bid for Vlaovic probably this week. So that's the situation. Let's start, first of all, though, with the inter side of things and the Lukaku side of things, because they are connected. How much is it a shock?
00:03:50
Speaker
Lukaku's behaviour here. Is it really a shock? Well, maybe it's not. You can answer that. But just to finish the question, because it seemed as if Lukaku wanted Inter. The negotiations were ongoing. It seemed like he wanted Inter and only Inter. So why this behaviour? Why this sudden turnaround? That's exactly it. This is classic Romelu Lukaku. If you look at his career,
00:04:15
Speaker
He does not handle his relationships very well. He's absolutely hated by Everton. He's hated by Manchester United. Chelsea fans would like to put him in a catapult and send him to the moon. He's completely nuked his bridges with Inter.
00:04:36
Speaker
And now he's going to a club where the fans racially abused him six months ago, less than six months ago. So they don't want him. He's not very good at
00:04:50
Speaker
playing, building relationships at last. Anderelech and West Brom are probably the only clubs where he hasn't screwed the club and the fan base is over.
Inter Milan's Reaction and Future Plans
00:05:00
Speaker
So it's, I'd say it's par for the course with Romelu Lukaku. He seems like a very, very, like a person so easily influenced by whoever he's close to that particular day. It's like you could, I think, I actually think, you know,
00:05:17
Speaker
a broomstick could probably do a Jedi mind trick on him. He's so easily distracted. He was angry at Pastorello for allegedly getting him to Chelsea, and now he's got Sebastian Ladool, who's his lawyer, who
00:05:35
Speaker
He seems to be the one that wants to get him to Uwe because he's going to earn more money at Uwe. He's being paid 11 million net per year. At Inter he would have to go down to six. So what is the motive then? Do you think it's money then? I think it's money and I think it's got to do with the fact that he didn't start the Champions League final.
00:05:58
Speaker
Yeah, because because just to stop you there on the money thing, we've got to remember, he took he took a cut, didn't he, to to to join into it, right? Yeah. And he was going to sign this. He's going to go down to six, six million, six, six and a half million, which was so he made sacrifices in order to return to him. So he can't just solely be financial. I think it's it's to do with the fact that he feels that he sacrificed a lot to return to Inter and he came to Inter and
00:06:26
Speaker
you know, Inter wanted to cut his wages even more, he didn't start the Champions League final, and Romelu Lukaku is somebody who needs to be the main man. And Inter, he's not the main man anymore. And he didn't start the Champions League final either. And what he fails to understand is that he was awful for 70% of last season.
00:06:52
Speaker
Not just the injuries, it was afterwards. Edin Jekyll, that famous clip of Edin Jekyll laughing at him when he couldn't even control the bowl like a six-year-old. I have to say, I'm not upset about this at all. I didn't want him, Edin Jekyll.
00:07:11
Speaker
I don't think it's worth the 35 million euros you are going to spend. I don't think he's worth the money he's going to command. I don't think he's ever going to be the striker he once was under Antonio Conte. I don't think he'll ever reach that level. I think he's still a good striker, as I've said on this pod consistently for a year now.
00:07:29
Speaker
i'm i think he will he will go going to you there he will be the main man that's what matters to remember look like yeah i think i that's what i think possibilities is the main motive of him maybe he is gonna become the main man then but it is a lot of it just that still doesn't add up to me in terms of the time frame i mean,
00:07:47
Speaker
If it's financial, it doesn't quite add up, because like we just said, he's already taken sacrifices in the past and that's made it clear that money wasn't the most important thing, certainly last year, so why should it be this year? Then the Champions League final argument, I think yes, that's probably played a part of it, but then surely that it would have been apparent straight away after the Champions League final, and Inter would have not gone through all this
00:08:15
Speaker
if you want to call it a charade now, of all this negotiating that's been going on for the, I mean, the final, the Champions League final was five weeks ago. You know, we've had five weeks of negotiations with Inter to get to the stage where they basically now, Inter basically now got close to agreeing a transfer fee with Chelsea.
00:08:36
Speaker
and then all of a sudden on the Friday, in one day, it all falls apart. So just the time frame, if it really was upset about the Champions League final, why didn't it become clear straight away? Is it that maybe the Juventus bid only
00:08:56
Speaker
sort of like materialized concretely recently and then when it became a possibility then he started to listen to it or did he just overplay his hand? Did he did him and his lawyer maybe try and use the event as offer as a way to get
00:09:14
Speaker
to get the the inter a higher uh wage from inter um i don't know and then maybe it backfired and inter just said right we're not playing your games anymore i don't know it just it just doesn't really add up to me um but maybe that's just lukaku for you that's the thing it doesn't add up because he's not a very um he's he doesn't strike to me as a very very strategic person i don't think he understands these guys i think he's very
00:09:45
Speaker
From what I understand, you know, his mother is advising him and he listens to his mother and she's been kind of saying, well, you know, they felt betrayed by not playing him in the Champions League final. They felt
00:09:58
Speaker
that he'd, you know, he'd returned to full fighting force and blah, blah, blah. Inter, however, the problem is with all of this is that he hasn't communicated this with Inter. I mean, Di Marzio was reporting that he was even negotiating with Juva immediately, you know, before the... At the end of March, yeah. Yeah, when he found out, you know, that he was being rotated and all of that, that he felt that he wasn't going to be the main man, but already back then.
00:10:22
Speaker
I'm not sure whether that's true or not. I think most of these things, when relationships sour, people tend to want to put out their version.
00:10:32
Speaker
the most, but it's quite clear that Inter are absolutely betrayed and furious with him. They're out. They're not interested. They don't want him. They don't want to have anything to do with him. We know that Lukaku called Alcelio to try to mend bridges. That phone call lasted about 45 seconds to 1 minute and 15 seconds, and there was a lot of shouting and screaming.
00:10:54
Speaker
involved before it was hung up. So Inter are completely united in this, like from the coach to the management to the players, like everyone seems like they feel completely betrayed. And he spoke to the Ultras as well, is that correct? Well, I mean, that's what's been reported, is that he spoke to the Curvanord and said that he would come back, that he was not going to sign for Juve. Since then, Curvanord have denied speaking to him,
00:11:23
Speaker
But then again, again, I don't really believe that either, because I think they would look like absolute idiots if they confirmed that they spoke to him and he lied to them. And then he goes to Juver that will put them in a position where they will have to act. And I don't think they want to put themselves in that position. I think everyone has a vested interest in this mess.
00:11:44
Speaker
to make themselves look good. What is the feeling of the fans overall? If he were to join Juventus, he would be the biggest traitor in Inter's modern history. There's no doubt about it, because Inter moved heaven and earth to get this guy.
00:12:05
Speaker
You have to remember. And they forgave him when he came back. He forgave him when he came back. They backed him even though it was a difficult season. Everyone was looking forward to next season, that he was going to alternate with Turram. He completely did this, created a complete and utter mess. And that game, I'm kind of glad that that game is being played Inter Juvets on series in February, because I think that Inter will be handed a permanent stadium ban for the rest of the season after that game.
00:12:35
Speaker
The amount of abuse that he's going to get at that game, if he turns up in a Juventus shirt at the San Siro, is going to be unlike anything you have ever seen before.
00:12:49
Speaker
You have to remember, this is a guy who has declared his love. Let's remember what he did at Chelsea when he was asked, could you ever play for Juve and Milan? He goes, looks down dramatically and says never about 15 times, and that's no exaggeration. My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my. He says, when you do things like that, when you lie to people like that,
00:13:13
Speaker
When you mess with people's emotions like that, that has repercussions. Personally, I don't care. I didn't want him. I'm actually happy he's going. I don't think he's worth the money. I don't think he's worth the wages. And him going to Juva makes the city more spicy.
00:13:32
Speaker
It certainly makes it more spicy. There's no doubt about that. And also because Quadrado is going the opposite direction as well. I mean, you've got, you know, this is Serial drama and it's good for the league. It raises the profile because I mean, Quadrado, I'm not upset about that deal either. I mean, I look at it from a financial standpoint. Well, we'll come on to Quadrado in a bit. First of all, let's talk about the Juventus side with Lukaku.
00:13:58
Speaker
I don't understand what they're doing. It makes no sense. Juventus have sent an offer to Chelsea, a verbal offer to Chelsea, 37.5 million euros plus 2.5 million in add-ons. That's 40 million in total to Chelsea. But it will only be valid once if and once they sell Dusan Vlovich. We are expecting some kind of bid from PSG this week.
00:14:26
Speaker
We don't know how much that's going to be. There is some to 90 million, which I would be quite surprised if they went that high, if they went more than what Juventus bought in for themselves. I mean, that'd be fantastic for Juventus. But either way, the numbers make no sense for you. I mean, they have to make 140 million this year, this summer, sorry, in profit on the transfer market.
00:14:53
Speaker
this whole new Juventus, and remember they're not in the Champions League either, and they're not going to be in Europe at all because UEFA are going to ban them from the conference league. This new Juventus is supposed to be cost effective, it's supposed to be orientated towards you, it's supposed to be sustainable, financially sustainable, but also sustainable in terms of
00:15:13
Speaker
buying players and building a squad that can be together for a number of years you do not have that as your project if you then go out and sign an injury-prone 30 year old who as you said was a total disaster last season up until march
00:15:30
Speaker
for 40 million euros, and then you give them a huge contract. And again, we don't know exactly what the contract is, but all the reports are saying between eight and 12 million euros a year. So in gross, if you do the maths and you work it out and you add the transfer fee to the gross wages of what would be, well, again, we don't know the length of contract, but some are saying three, even if you take three years, you're looking at 70 to 80 million euros. If you're going a four year contract, you're looking around 100 million euros.
00:16:01
Speaker
I mean, it just makes no sense, financially makes no sense at all. There's no set on value. He's 30 years old. So you're going to have no set on value. Even if you set him in a year or two years, you're not what you're going to get from him. You're not going to get anything. So is Lukak just going to be another Pogba? I mean, financially, just everything about it, financially in terms of sustainability, it doesn't make any sense in them, does it?
00:16:30
Speaker
It doesn't make sense like that, but he will be cheaper than Vlovich. Vlovich is on how much is he on in terms of his wages.
00:16:38
Speaker
No, he'll be on the round about the same. Yeah, so the same. So essentially you will be getting, you know, you sell Vlovich for 80, 70, 80, and you buy Lukaku for 40, that's a 30 million profit. So I guess that's how they're looking about it. I'm starting to think that, you know, this 140 million euro that they need to make is a bit of BS, to be honest.
00:17:00
Speaker
I don't see, because unless they're going to sell Kiazaa for something stupid as well, but it doesn't seem like they want to do that. Look, I think Junto is showing that he is actually very pragmatic. He's gone in there with Yuva.
00:17:17
Speaker
You will be spoken to Allegri. Allegri said what he wants, and he's getting him that. He's just doing what he's supposed to do. There's no doubt these screams of Allegri influence pushing for Lukaku. Oh, he is an Allegri player. I honestly think, look, listen, if Lukaku can be fit,
00:17:35
Speaker
You've a playing one game a week. You've are in this corretto race whether or not they play good football or whether they will, you know They should be yeah, but they will they will be they will be with Lukaku playing one game a week and
00:17:55
Speaker
Look, with what they're looking to do, I mean, you're seeing them bringing in the players they are. I think Juventus are definitely going to be our Escudetto challenger, for sure. Lukaku will win you games, ugly games, in the Serie A. And he's a system player that illegally plays a counter-attacking football. It suits Lukaku. He can hold up defenders. He can hold them off. He can link up. We've seen all of that.
00:18:20
Speaker
So, I think, yeah, no, I think this is, for Juver, this is not a bad deal, because Vlawic is clearly not working out, and him and Allegri don't seem to get along, and he doesn't seem to be able to do what Allegri wants him to do. So, you know, that makes sense. But of course, long-term financially, I don't think you're in that situation. I think Juver just needs to make the numbers work. And if they can
00:18:44
Speaker
bring him down but you know make it again in terms of team building in terms of building a team to be successful you know over a period of time again it's just it's just another short term signing thirty years old thirty one during the season is just it's just again is the same criticism that we making for you that the last three to four years but even if he is.
00:19:03
Speaker
I mean, I remember saying exactly the same things about Di Maria this time of the past season. I'm just saying that I've just changed the name to Lukaku basically. It's just like, you know. Yeah, but I don't think you can say that about Lukaku. Lukaku is not like with Di Maria.
00:19:18
Speaker
virtually just came and used Juve as a build-up for the World Cup, which he won. No, I'm talking from Juve's point of view. They're buying someone who's 30 years old. They're spending up to 100 million on a player. If you're lucky, you're going to get two top, top years out of it. That's the thing, though. That's the thing, though. I'm not entirely sure, because I think that Juve will keep him for one or two years, and then they'll sell him to Saudi Arabia.
00:19:44
Speaker
You know same thing with with Pogba. I think I think they look at it like that I don't think they look at Lukaku more than one or two years just to get back get themselves back into the You know back into the Champions League back into contention to fight for school. I think that's why they look at it They look at this as kind of a
00:20:01
Speaker
you know, that he gives you guarantees, you know, if you're pushing guarantees, I mean, the guy's totally was totally his body was totally wrapped up until March. So there are no guarantees. I mean, there's more, there's just as much, if not more chance of him just being another Pogba. That is true. And you're spending 100 million euros. That is a risk. That is a huge risk you've are taking. But I think given the financial situation they're in, that's one they feel they have to make.
00:20:28
Speaker
what, for a hundred million? I mean, it doesn't. I'm not going to come on here and say he's a bad player because he's not. I think there's exaggerations that go either way, you know, and the exaggerations of Lukaku, you know, he was actually very, he was actually, he was excellent from, from, from March, March onwards for Intel. There's no doubt about that. He was fantastic. Of course, he missed those huge chances in the final, which is unfortunate for him. But, you know, apart from that, you know, he was, he was, he was fantastic. So if you, you vendors get,
00:20:58
Speaker
the Lukaku from March until the end of the season. Which I think they will. I think they will. And I think that's what they're counting on. I don't think they're getting Pogba. Pogba was different. Pogba was a completely different situation, but there is a risk. There's always a risk involved. No doubt about that. The other thing to worry about, the other thing is, you know, Lukaku has only done well in his career when he's felt loved. I think everybody will agree with that.
00:21:23
Speaker
Will there be that love with the Juventus fans? No, there isn't. The love between the UVA fans, look, he was racially abused by them, less than four or five months ago. We're recording this on Monday afternoon. Now, on Monday morning, there were chants outside when the Juventus players were arriving to training. There was chants, mass chants from the Juventus fans chanting, we do not want Lukaku.
00:21:47
Speaker
and you only have to go onto social media and see what U.N.S. fans are saying that they don't want Lukaku. Now of course that can change as the players start playing well that you know they will start charting for it and that's just football. But you know Lukaku has only really done well when he's felt loved, felt like the main man
00:22:06
Speaker
So, is he going to get that at Juventus? Is he going to feel the connection with Juventus? He needs to feel it himself as well. You know, having been racially abused, you know, by some it's not all, but only a section of Juventus fans. Is that going to stop him from
00:22:28
Speaker
you know, fulfilling his potential at Juventus. I don't know. It's just. It's going to be a difficult, like it's going to be a difficult win. He's not, you know, but he's also the kind of guy he has this, you know, this this whole thing with that he has about him of turning his life into a movie. And, you know, you know, they first, you know, winning people over and building these kind of, you know,
00:22:56
Speaker
things in his head where, you know, proving the doubters and haters wrong, dog. Like, he is this kind of character that thinks he's, you know, like a 1990s hip-hop movie, you know? It's like he's got this kind of vibe about him where he's like,
00:23:12
Speaker
I never do things easily always go against the grain always go against the wind in my face bro like that's the kind of character he is and he he will go into you trying to win the fans over and then when he wins them over you'll continue to do that silencing thing and then you know i mean like that's just who he is.
00:23:30
Speaker
So I think he sees that as a challenge. The most important thing at Juve for him is that Allegri wants him, that Allegri believes in him, that he's an Allegri player, that he's the number one at Juve up front for Allegri. The fans, he clearly doesn't give a crap about.
00:23:47
Speaker
Let me just throw one last spanner in the works here. Is there a possibility with Junzli that he is thinking to the future of Lukaku and that maybe Antonio Conte next season? That's exactly what I'm thinking. That's what I'm thinking. I think this will be the last season of Allegri. I don't think they're going to extend Allegri's contract past the season. And I don't think Allegri is going to go into his last contract either. So I actually think that if Conte is away this season, he could return next season, yes.
00:24:15
Speaker
unless something crazy happens and somebody snaps Konta up. But yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if Konta returns the following summer and with Lukaku there who he loves.
00:24:25
Speaker
I think that's a possibility. I wonder, because I just feel like, juntily, being, I mean, the job that he did at Napoli, it was all about building a project and sustainable projects. I just don't, it doesn't seem to marry with what he's done in the past. Of course, when you're a bigger club, you have to work slightly differently, but when you have to win straight away,
00:24:52
Speaker
which isn't expected of you at Napoli, but yeah, I don't know. But before we talk more about Juventus, because there's lots of talk about Juventus on today's show, now that Lukaku has been dropped by Inter, they still need to sign a striker.
00:25:09
Speaker
Now Sky Sports' earlier say there's four strikers on the shortlist. Balagun, Unzola, Morata and Teremi. Balagun and Teremi seem to be the two favourites. What is the situation and who would you like and who would Interfence like most out of these?
00:25:27
Speaker
Um, I think me personally, I look at, I look at, well, if you were going to move heaven and earth to get Lukaku, that means that you want to play, you want a certain type of striker. Um, and Turam and Lukaku were going to be two of those, which were kind of similar. And then you're going to have Lautaro and Correa.
00:25:48
Speaker
or whoever Correa replaces, if Correa leaves, were going to be the ones that you choose from. Those are the fourths. So those are the characters you're looking for, those style of players. And when you look at that style of player, Taremi and Enzola are more similar to Lukaku than Morata and Balogum is, you know, for characteristics. Enzola as a player, I think, we were impressed by it, Spezia, but you can't sit and talk about
00:26:16
Speaker
winning the Scoredetto and then not go after Enzola after Lukaku. That makes no sense. It's stupid. You make yourself look dumb again. So you need someone with some kind of an international pedigree, someone who has Champions League experience and has won trophies, even if it's in a different country. And there for me, if you look at, if you've watched how Tarami has played and what kind of a player he's become under Konsee Sal since joining Konsee Sal,
00:26:45
Speaker
He's a goal scorer and he's an assist man. Last season is 32 goals, I think it was, and 18 assists or 15 assists in all competitions. Yeah, sorry, 31 goals and 14 assists. The season he was the top goal scorer in Portugal, the second time he became that. The season before that, 26 goals and 17 assists.
00:27:08
Speaker
season before that 23 goals and 18 assists. So for me, that makes more sense to go after him and also for the price range and his wages won't be as expensive. Because again, if you're prepared to go after Lukaku for that kind of money, you know you wouldn't get paid for Lukaku. There's no resale value. So if you're going to do that, Toremi is like a year older, but he hasn't played as much football in his life when he was younger. He did his military service for two years.
00:27:37
Speaker
so he didn't play as much and also he's kind of he's a late bloomer and he still hasn't peaked and while you know Lukaku's played first team football so he was 15 years old so you know that's how I look at it for Balogun look if you're again if Lukaku, Toram, Lautaro, Correa was the original plan that means you're going to rotate your four strikers that means that they have to be ready when called upon and Balogun is is a big talent huge talent he scored lots of goals last season
00:28:08
Speaker
But he's not the finished product. And he, if you're bringing in someone to, you know, and he's a young player who needs to play and to rotate him and expect him to be the finished product, it's a risk. And I think... And it's a lot of money as well. It's a lot of money as well. And also the deal isn't very sweet. I mean, Arsenal don't need, they're not going to do into any favors. They're not cash strapped.
00:28:33
Speaker
So Inter are going to have to break the bank for this guy, and they don't have a lot of money to do it, and they probably have to spend most of the Onana money on signing two goalkeepers in Trubin and Sommer.
00:28:44
Speaker
in an ideal world. And then you still have a six midfielder and another striker
Inter Milan's New Signings and Strategy
00:28:51
Speaker
to fill. So to me, it makes no sense to go after Balogon, because even if you get him for 30, 40 million, well, Arsenal will want to buy back at 45, 50. So you're not going to make that much money on him either. And it doesn't make much sense to me.
00:29:08
Speaker
Morata is insanity. I mean, the only way that I would accept Alvaro Morata is replacing Joaquin Correa. Yes, Alvaro Morata would be a huge upgrade on Joaquin Correa, but other than that, replacing Romelu Lukaku with Alvaro Morata is insanity. What possible
00:29:28
Speaker
like what possible tactical and characteristic traits do they have in common other than that they are both human beings and that they play football for a living and that they play an upfront but other than that there's nothing like there's no similarities between them whatsoever so it makes no sense tactically for me at all unless you're replacing korea with morata i'd be all in favor of that i think alvaro morata is a hundred times the player quacking korea is but
00:29:55
Speaker
to replace Lukaku with Morata just makes no sense to me. And again, Inter need to have a reliable goal scorer. Lukaku is their penalty taker. Toremi is a penalty taker. I'm looking at characteristics and traits. But I think most Inter fans at this point would probably like Balogun because he's young and all that. But I just don't see Arsenal doing Inter any favours.
00:30:24
Speaker
Yeah, I think it is a lot of money but then you know even Teremi, Porto were asking for $30 million for a plan that turns $31 million I think before the end of this month. So it's a lot of money whichever way you look at it. But then it was also a crazy amount of money for Lukaku as well and then you got the salary to take into account.
00:30:47
Speaker
Anyway, Juan Cuadrado, just to add to the whole Lukaku craziness, Juan Cuadrado is joining Inter. It's basically a done deal. Two million
00:30:59
Speaker
salary for a one-year contract. He rejected a move to Saudi Arabia and he rejected Fenabachi in order to join Inter. So, Juventus fans are obviously going to feel exactly the same towards Cuadrado as Inter fans are going to feel
00:31:17
Speaker
towards Lukaku. Me personally, I've been one of Quadrado's few defenders. I don't understand. He's always been so very unpopular with a large portion of the Juventus fan base. I've never understood that. I've always thought he's fantastic. I thought he's one of the few players that the Juventus have had during this time that's had that ability to break the press, to beat their man, to create overloads.
00:31:44
Speaker
very versatile player, you know, chips in with goals, chips in with assists, you know, plays a lot of games. I think he's been fantastic for Juventus over this period. I think he's obviously passed his best now. He's 35. I can kind of understand Juventus not giving him a new one-year contract, which he wanted. He wanted to stay at UVA for another year. But, you know, I guess,
00:32:11
Speaker
It is disappointing from the Juventus fans' perspective that he then joins your rivals. It does kind of, I guess, was it worth it just for a year? Could you have gone somewhere else? The only thing I would say on Quadrado's side is he's been very open. He wants to play another World Cup, so he wants to obviously stay at a high level. He doesn't want to move to Saudi Arabia or even to Turkey yet. Question is, could he have found someone else other than Inter?
00:32:39
Speaker
Are you happy though, Nimr, as an interferon? I have no problems with this deal other than... Look, I think it's... I have no problems with it. I really, really don't. Because I look at it like this. I mean, on paper kind of thing. It's...
00:33:00
Speaker
He will cost less than Bela Nova did last year in between loan and wages. And I mean, I saw an article on this. They save actually money on him. He's going to come. He's going to make around two and a half million euros plus add-ons. He is very experienced. Inter have lost so much leadership and experience this summer in D'Ambrosio, Handanovic, Jeko,
00:33:28
Speaker
And, of course, now with Lukaku gone as well, I mean, that's a lot of experience. So you need to have someone who has experience in the dressing room because the idea is that Lautaro, Barella and Bastoni are now going to fund the fundamentals of this new into dressing room. Scringa is left as well. So you're going to need, you have to have some experience. Inter don't have a lot of money.
00:33:53
Speaker
He has he understands the Serie A in terms of different styles of the player. He is he's a dribbler He can beat his man. He can shoot. He's quite the goal scorer. So he's different to Denzel Dumfries suits the formation as well suits the formation in the 352
00:34:09
Speaker
You know, and he's supposed to rotate with Denzel Dumfries, which I mean, to be honest, he is even now at this point when he's pretty much way past his best, he's still better than Denzel Dumfries. So, you know, I do think he was still useful.
00:34:26
Speaker
He actually had quite a strong end to the season. He didn't start very well. No, he didn't. But I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts. I think he can be useful in short bursts
00:34:54
Speaker
able to to break, you know, to break a line and create an overload. And I think that's very, very useful. But he's at a certain age now where age can catch up with you quickly. And we've seen it before. I remember when Lucio went from Inter to Juve and was still at a decent level. But then he was finished when he joined Juve. He was absolutely finished. I never understood that move at all. I thought it was a weird one when he joined Juve. I remember Lucio. I think
00:35:25
Speaker
For Inter, it's like they know that they need to have different styles of players on the wings, and I think that's why Inter are open to getting rid of Gossens and bringing in Carlos Agosto as well from Monza, because compared to DiMarco on the other end, you want to have options on the wings. You want to have the
00:35:42
Speaker
DeMarco crosser and his left foot is fantastic. He's never going to beat his man, but you need someone who can beat his man on the wings, on either wing. And Cordero can do that, and Agosto can do that. DeMarco and Dumfries can't. So you want to have options for different games. You want to have different weapons to attack, to resolve situations in games. And I think that's the way they look at it. And I know
00:36:05
Speaker
For me, I'm not bothered about I think one year two two and a half million He's less than bill and I were just one year that that's that's that's a decent. I'm not I'm not upset about that at all What I am critical of though is I do think that this summer in certain positions Marotta and I was Elio I've shown that they lack in imagination they lack It just feels so
00:36:30
Speaker
Desperate. Yeah, desperate. Stopgap. Yeah. And stopgap, desperate and lack of imagination. And that's something that, look, that defense is going to need a massive overhaul next summer.
Bonucci's Situation and National Team Impact
00:36:46
Speaker
Because if you bring in
00:36:49
Speaker
Cuadrado, you have Vacherbi, you have Darmian. Okay, you brought in Bisek, but he's a youngster. You don't know how good he's going to be. He could be absolutely fantastic, but you don't know. So now's the time, like this, this is next summer is all about the defense. And on top of that, you've got two goalkeepers coming in.
00:37:07
Speaker
you know one is sommer uh the other one could be trubin or could be uh audero so you know you lose you you're there's a there's a big sense of insecurity and uncertainty about interdefensively which already was a problem last summer and last season so there is there they they they are they are risking it here but they've got no choice i get that financially they've got no choice but this this is a little bit aspilqueta ish okay although
00:37:37
Speaker
but i do get it i do get it you get it okay we're talking about uncertainty defensively a defender that has looked very uncertain for the last year or so is leonardo banucci and he has been told by Juventus by juntoli and Giovanni manna
00:37:53
Speaker
that they don't want him. He's been basically frozen out of the squad. He won't go on tour to America. The decision has been shared with Allegri. So that's Juventus telling Bonucci, well, that's it. That's your Juventus career over. Find the new club. That's basically what Juventus has done. Very ruthless. For me, I think it's a decision that had to be made. He's clearly
00:38:19
Speaker
I don't understand how it was in May two years ago, if I'm perfectly honest, after the Euros, I think he was finished already then. I think the Euros was his last, he creamed out the last level of quality. Well, yeah, I mean, you're not going to make the decision after he's been maybe the best player at the tournament. But last year, this time, last year, absolutely, you know, these kind of ruthless decisions needed to be made.
00:38:41
Speaker
Maybe they thought well we got rid of killing if you don't want to get rid of the new team the same summer we need some experience but there's just no point in keeping a player around just to be a cheerleader if you're gonna do that just making become a coach you know don't. Let me take up a spot on the team when the squad and then he puts out a performances like we saw from the new to last season where he cost you fences.
00:39:04
Speaker
you know so many points because he just wasn't good enough and you know so this was a decision that that had to be made he's too old he's 36 now his legs have completely gone and you know something had to be done and i think this is a positive thing of generously coming in that he's shown that
00:39:25
Speaker
you know, juxtaposed against what he's done with Lukaku, which you'd say is maybe something he shouldn't be doing. But, you know, they have to make these decisions. For Bonucci, it's not good, as he wanted another year so he could play at the Euros. From what we've seen, it seems like Bonucci is not ready to accept the feat, that he wants to try and win them over. But
00:39:55
Speaker
I think his decision had to be made, isn't it, Nemo? Yes, I think this is inevitable. I'm sorry if the U of F fans are upset or if people feel... I don't think they are. No, I would be cheering this, to be honest. What does it mean for Benucci? Where does he go from here? Who does he go? Where does he go?
00:40:25
Speaker
I mean, who would want, who could he do a job for now? Is there any teams that in Serie A that you think, I mean, I saw some ridiculous links like, was it not PSG? I think it was PSG or it was, there were some teams, Newcastle I saw, which is just totally bizarre. I think the Premier League is the last place. Benucci was succeeding when his legs have gone like they have, but like, is there anywhere that you could see Benucci still doing a job?
00:40:54
Speaker
Or should he just retire, do you think? I think the best thing that can happen for him is if he left like Killini did and went to the United States or went
00:41:13
Speaker
Saudi Arabia or something like that. I think at this level he is finished. At the European top level. Unless he decides to do one of these buffon kind of things where go to a smaller club.
00:41:32
Speaker
you know, something like that to do, to do, to bring sampdoria, to help your Lord. Do you know what I mean? Like something like, I just don't see him at the highest level. I'm thanking the Lord, even though I'm not religious, I'm an atheist. I am praying to every, I'm praying to God and everything, every, every deity ever conceived and that has existed in history of mankind, that Inter already have signed, have Acherbian and Stefano de Frei there, because otherwise I think Bonucci would be turning up at Appiano Gentile.
00:42:01
Speaker
for another return and thank you that this is no longer an option.
00:42:09
Speaker
Because he's a central in a back three. He's a central defender in a back three. He can't play to the right, so thank you for that. But I do think for his sake, I think it's time to move on, either to the MLS or Saudi Arabia or to a lower... I think he's got a little bit of what Ronaldo had towards the end of his time at Manchester United, where
00:42:38
Speaker
he's been such a legend, such a legend of the game, that sometimes these kind of players can't accept when their powers have waned. And I think that's with Benucci, same with Benucci. Benucci still wants to play at the highest level. He still wants to play for Juventus, but more importantly, he wants to play at the Euros. He wants to be the man, the Italy's captain, and make that his final tournament. And that's a year away.
00:43:10
Speaker
Roberto Mancini has shown too much loyalty. I mean, we saw, didn't we, just last month with the Nations League and the semi-finals, he basically cost Italy that game in the semi-final against Spain with that error that he made for the first goal. And he was horrific in that match. Now, this could actually end up being a blessing for Italy that Juventus doing this
00:43:34
Speaker
you would think that that's it for Benucci for Italy now surely unless somehow he manages to find himself you know another club and he and he turns it around you think Mancini surely can't keep picking Benucci now when he picks his squad for these crucial World Cup qualifiers in September Benucci surely can't be can't be in that squad can they can it
00:43:57
Speaker
No, he has no business in that squad. It doesn't matter if they play with a back three or a back four. It's time to move on. When Mancini first came on, one of the reasons I wanted him as a coach and one of the reasons that I think he did really well was because he cut ties. He was ruthless. He came in with a new approach, new ideas, integrated new players.
00:44:18
Speaker
He needs to cut the umbilical cord with this old guard that won him the Euros, especially the 30 plus players. You have to move on.
Midfield Strategies: Juventus and Milan
00:44:27
Speaker
Otherwise, you're just wasting until his time and you're going to play with your job as well because you will get sacked. You don't get to the Euros, you will be sacked and your brand will be toxic. You're not going to get another job in Europe again. You're going to be sent to do what Lippi did after he won the World Cup.
00:44:42
Speaker
you know, all over the world. And that's not what he wants. He wants to have another top job. And in order to have another top job, he has to deliver with Italy now. And he can't do that if he's going to continue with this Leonardo Bonucci stuff.
00:44:55
Speaker
you know, the Toloy nonsense, like stop, stop it enough, move on. Yeah, I think everybody agrees there. I'm just finishing on the events. So there is another deal that they are working on. And that is Frank Kesier. Now, those who listen to our Milan
00:45:14
Speaker
Mercado deep dive with Vito Angela last Thursday and I would really recommend everybody listen to that. It's a fantastic part. He gave us some really great insight in the transfer business that Milan are planning between now and the end of the summer ins and outs. He mentioned that Kesier's agent is offering him around to clubs and that he had been offered to Milan. It's something that Milan have thought about although they haven't, you know, nothing concrete has come of it. Now since then we've learned that
00:45:42
Speaker
Juventus are actively in negotiations to sign Cessier. They're in a two-way battle at the moment in terms of concrete offers and along with Al-Hilal, another Saudi Arabian team. And the proposal is alone with an option to buy. So again, this is the prince of Allegri. He wants ready-made physical players.
00:46:12
Speaker
I'm not, again, same as with Lukaku, I'm not sure whether this is good for Juventus in terms of, I look at Juventus' sentiment field, and I think it's the last place in the team that Juventus needs work. I mean, they've got Pogba, they've got Rabio, who's obviously signed on for another year, they've got Locatelli, they've got Fagioli, they've got Ravella coming back, who I really like, they've got Meretti, and that's before you get to those who are officially to sell and will be moved on in one way or another, and that's Arthur Mello.
00:46:40
Speaker
Zachariah McKenney. So you enter a stat in Censored Field, but they've got a lot of good young players there. Locatelli, Fagioli, Ravella, Miretti, and certainly Locatelli, Fagioli and Ravella have three players I believe in that can be developed.
00:46:57
Speaker
So, you know, Juventus, you're thinking they're going to have to sell or offload one of these younger Italian players to make way for Kessi. And I'm not sure whether I'm comfortable with that. And again, I'm not sure. Kessi is not old, he's 26, but I'm not sure whether this is, you know, I don't think it should be a priority for Juventus. I think they should be.
00:47:16
Speaker
What happened with those Paul Pogba talks with Saudi? Are those still ongoing? Is there still a decision to be made? What's happening there? Intermediaries, as they do, have been making proposals to Pogba. We have to see
00:47:37
Speaker
how they play out. I mean, the Kesier signing could suggest that maybe, yeah, maybe you just want Polka out. Maybe they see him as a replacement for Polka. Someone's... And if we're talking about Antonio Conte taking over in a year from now.
00:47:51
Speaker
He's trying to sign him, hasn't he? This makes sense to me. He's a younger player. He's not old. He's not really doing a good job. He's not a Barcelona player. I never understood why they signed him in the first place. If it is a loan with an option,
00:48:20
Speaker
the key being option and not an obligation. Then financially, it's not a big deal. Obviously, we'll see what the salary is. But again, I don't want this signing of Kesi-A to be at the expense of one of these younger players who I believe should be the future and give Juventus that part of the Juventus project. The issue with Juventus is players that could have
00:48:48
Speaker
you know, being the cornerstone of the Juventus for the next five years. You know, in recent years, Juventus have just been getting rid of too many of these players. We've just, you know, one in, one out, buy someone in, get rid of them. So bringing Kessier or bringing Pogba and get rid of a player in midfield that could be around for the next five years. You know, they've got to stop that. At some point, they've got to sit down and think, right, this is going to be our core. We want to build the team around for the next four years. And I don't want Kessier to be at the expense of a Locatelli or a Fagioli or a Ravela.
00:49:16
Speaker
or even a Miretti. I think Miretti should go out and loan this season, but I don't want him sold. I think that's the key here with the Kesi sign-in. Plus, I just think that this is a low priority for Juventus. I think the priority is obviously
00:49:34
Speaker
the attack and the full backs or wing backs in particular, and also another central defender as well. I mean, these should be the priorities we've entered before they start working on the center of the midfield.
00:49:48
Speaker
Talking of sentiment fielders, Tijani Reinders is to sign for Milan in the next day or two. Milan will pay a Z of fee of 20 million euros plus bonuses for him. Four-year contract, salary of around 1.7 million.
00:50:08
Speaker
euros again we spoke to Vito Angelou on our Milan deep dive last Thursday about this sign and so listen to that but I spoke to a Dutch football journalist Imrei Himmelbauer this morning about Reinders and kind of what Milan fans can expect from him because I haven't seen too much of him I'll be honest with you I've seen a little bit of AZ in Europe
00:50:28
Speaker
So I asked Imre what can Milan expect and I'll quote him. He says, I would say he's a pretty good player, but I do think Milan are overpaying a bit, especially as he is going to be a replacement for Tenali. Reinde has had a good season last season. He was really productive, especially for someone that has a somewhat defensive role in the midfield.
00:50:52
Speaker
But there is a concern over whether he has the technique on the ball to succeed at Milan. His best role is as a number eight, so we could potentially see when Beneser returns from injury, a midfield three of Beneser reinders as the kind of centre-centre midfielder, and then Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the right of the midfield three.
00:51:13
Speaker
He again says that Milan overpaid. He thinks they should have gone for his teammate, Orcon Cocteau, who he thinks is a superior player. As for strengths and weaknesses, he would say physicality. Again, that ties into kind of this new Milan, isn't it, that we've been talking about. They want to be more physical, have more intensity. He has the stamina to play a whole game. He's very hardworking.
00:51:38
Speaker
He's a team player. He's not somebody that will stand out individually, but he'll make those around him play better. He's a box-to-box player. His weaknesses, again, he underlines his technique as something that maybe he has an issue, and he also needs to speed up because he's going to be playing at a higher level and a higher intensity than the area to visit. So that is something that he will also have to work on.
00:52:05
Speaker
that he is successful, that he is optimistic in rage says that he can be a success and that Dutch midfielders have been quite successful in Italy in recent seasons, the likes of De Rone and Coupe miners. So yeah, so that's what the Dutch expert
00:52:25
Speaker
Dutch expert says, if again, just going back to what Vicoangelo said on Thursday, Milan will have now signed two central midfielders, Loftus Chief and
00:52:37
Speaker
and Reinders, but they do still plan to sign another sentiment fielder if possible, if the market opportunity arises. They're changing formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 this season, so there'll be no attacking sentiment fielder, no Brahim Diaz, he's gone back to Madrid. De Ketzler we know is for sale. So yeah, Milan could still bring in another sentiment fielder, but Milan are going to sign him. So I'm assuming, Nima, you probably haven't seen too much of him either.
00:53:06
Speaker
Well, from what I've seen from him, I actually think he will do well at Milan. I mean, he fits into the mold that they want to bring in. I mean, he's a number eight, isn't he? I mean, they want to play a fourth really. It's quite clear, Pioli's, both of these clubs, Inter and Milan, are changing how they play. They are, you know, I never expected Milan to be so, to make as many changes as they are, but they are completely changing how they're playing. And it's going to be really interesting to see how that goes.
00:53:34
Speaker
to be honest, but I think he's an interesting player for sure. Overpaying or not, look, with all due respect, I think that depends what you get out of him. If he turns out to be fantastic, 2024 million is not that bad, is he? Is it? It's one season. You're paying for one season as a regular for AZ. I guess there is the concern with that, but then we see that a lot of players
00:53:59
Speaker
once off the back of one season and they go for big big money so you know i guess that's really expected now in in in modern football az did impress me as a team when i watched them in europe um last season and they knocked out uh last year they knocked out wasn't it in the in europe in the europe league um so or the conference league so yeah i think um yeah i mean milan are milan have a clear plan
00:54:23
Speaker
of where they're going. We'll have to see whether the decision to sell tonali and replace them with these guys was the correct one. Now I'm reading that Musa as well, who I think is going to be very, very important for them as well.
00:54:38
Speaker
is that, you know, that's something I've been waiting for for them to complete for a long time. I think that's a good play. I'm starting to see what Yunus Musa, the American, I'm starting to see what Milan want to do. And it's a completely different Milan. It's a much more dynamic Milan. And it's a Milan where it's no longer just Teo, Leow and Inshallah. It is absolutely not that at all. He's building a team to impose themselves
00:55:06
Speaker
in on their opposition with in a system and I think Milan are going to be a much more attacking side where how it goes you know who knows they they need to have you know is is is Liao going to be the main finisher or are they bringing someone else in to to kind of help him with that with that goal with that goal scoring because I think that the Toremi links make sense in that aspect
Roma and Fiorentina's Transfer Decisions
00:55:30
Speaker
Um, so no, it's, it's going to be a very interesting, uh, silence, uh, central midfield silence is like, where are the goals going to come from? There's going to be no goals in midfield. I think purely, I think they're counting on, yeah, but he'll be playing an attack, but the midfield, you know, Reinders, you're not going to get goals from, uh, Musa doesn't score any goals. Uh, Ben is there when he's back from injury, he doesn't score any goals. Uh, crew niche, you know, he doesn't score many goals. Um, you know, so, you know, lotus cheek.
00:56:00
Speaker
I mean, he's hardly prolific. There is a goal threat there. There can be a goal threat if he's given the right role. I think they're going to share it amongst the top three. I think the main, I think it's going to be Teo, Liao, whoever is the number nine, Giroud, Taremi, whoever, and then Piulissich.
00:56:16
Speaker
as well. I think that's what they're looking at. The best teams, you need goals from midfield. You can't rely just when you attack from your midfield. So that is already, for me, that looks like a glaring weakness for me in this Milan team, that the lack of goals that are going to come from the midfield. But, you know, Musa hasn't signed yet. They could sign someone else. I'm just saying, the way that it's mapping out, I see that as a possible glaring weakness for Milan next season. Talking about goals or lack of goals, Alvaro Morata
00:56:41
Speaker
or Gianluca Scamaca, they didn't score many goals, they've not died with them last season. So it looks like it's going to be one of these for the striker position at Roma. Roma's transfer chief Tiago Pinto is going to meet with Morata's agent today, Monday. Now, the situation is as I understand it... Just before we talk about Roma, I just want to say that this week we're doing a transfer deep dive on Roma.
00:57:10
Speaker
which will come out on Wednesday or Thursday. I just wanted to give a shout out on that. Who's that with? It's Andrea DiCarlo. I don't know if he's still on the sport media set or not, but I know that he's part of one of
00:57:40
Speaker
He works for Radio Romanista and Il Romanista Web, and they're one of the bigger Rome.
00:57:50
Speaker
radio stations and Roma sites. So, yeah, Andrea Di Carlo. He can tell us all about that, so we won't go into too much detail on this, but all I would say, what my understanding is that Mourinho's preferred target is Marata, Jose Mourinho, but Thiago Pinto and Roma club as a whole, understandably, because they want to build with the younger, some more sustainable players,
00:58:19
Speaker
Their preferred target is Schemaka, but Roma only wants to sign Schemaka on loan with an option to buy. That's something that West Ham are not happy with. And as for Morata, well, there's the issue with his cost. There's talk that he might be signing a new contract of Atletico Madrid, which will insert a lower release clause of around about 12 million euros, if that's not the case, because there's no guarantee that that is actually the case.
00:58:45
Speaker
and you know then Mathematica and Madrid if they're going to be asking for too much more money than that like 20 million or something then you know for someone that's going to be 31 this year for a team like Roma they're only you know with the financial fair play that we've just seen that they didn't meet the demands at the end of last month. You know again there's a financial angle to this as well so but just talking in terms of who do you think Roma should go for
00:59:13
Speaker
Skamaka without a doubt, because of the longevity of it as well. I mean, there's going to be a point when Mourinho leaves. And I think he would be a beautiful, beautifully romantic signing as well, wouldn't he? I mean, he's a Roma kid, he supports Roma, he's been very clear about that.
00:59:33
Speaker
And I think that for him to come home, I think that would be... Just don't let his dad near the... Yeah, but he doesn't have any relationship with his dad or his non-naught, who did what they did. But look, if you're looking for now, if Mourinho wants Morata and he's got Vibala and Pellegrini there,
00:59:50
Speaker
then you give Mourinho what he wants. But no. Technically, I think that would be a lot of fun with it. If they can get it working, we know Diwala and Pellegrini hasn't worked, but if they can somehow find the formula... Maybe Morata could be the key that unlocks... Well, that is one thing about Morata. He does make players around him play better. He does. He does, yeah. But the problem that Moroma had, and I'm going to ask on Wednesday about this, Andrea about this,
01:00:21
Speaker
I don't quite understand who's going to score the goals because Di Bala is not a prolific goal scorer. Roma had a problem with someone putting the ball into the back of the net.
01:00:30
Speaker
Morata isn't, Pellegrini isn't, Di Bala isn't, so who's going to be that 25-30 goal season guy? Because Roma creates so many chances, the stats show that. Di Bala, there's no doubt Di Bala will definitely score more than 20 plus goals a season, if it's fit. If it's fit. That's the problem. There's no doubt about that for me, but yeah, I agree. I think the only thing about Roma is they do have goals throughout the team, but yeah, we saw last season that scoring goals was a big, big problem for them.
01:00:59
Speaker
and, well, stopped them from winning the trophy, didn't it? They didn't put their chances away in the final. Okay, right. Yeah, so we will have, like, just old Roma fans, just so you know, we will be having a full-on Roma deep dive this week, either it's Wednesday or Thursday that'll come out. And then the following week, I'm looking to do a Lazio deep dive as well. And the week after that, Fiorentina, who we're moving on to now because they have signed one of the signings of the summer, if you ask me.
01:01:28
Speaker
this is insane. 10 million plus 1 million in add-ons for Fabiano Parisi. It's a fantastic deal. Absolutely fantastic. It just goes into what I was saying last week about how Serie A teams undersell. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy this transfer has happened because I think this is a good step up for Parisi. I'm a big fan of the player. I really think he can go very far in the game.
01:01:50
Speaker
I think he's got everything to be, potentially be an Italy. Well, there's so many good left backs for Italy, but good enough to be Italy's left back, if not necessarily Italy's left back. And to only go for 11 million euros. I mean, we were just criticising, we had a question on our Q&A last week. Yeah, on our Q&A pod, yeah. Who's the worst sporting director? Is it's Daniela Plade? And we were kind of like, yeah, maybe it is based on what he's done. And then he pulls out a deal like this.
01:02:17
Speaker
Yeah, he does. And it's a fantastic sign. It's an absolutely brilliant signing. It's cheap. The player has incredible potential.
Lazio's Transfer Activities
01:02:27
Speaker
He'll suit the Italian style of play. It just ticks every box. I think it's such a smart signing in every sense of the word. I'm so, so impressed.
01:02:38
Speaker
Why were more Nord teams not in for this guy? I mean, we know Juventus, we had Romeo Agrestion, we know Juventus were in talks with Empoli, but the problem Juventus had is they have too many players at left wing back. They needed to shift some. You know, they had four players that could play left wing back. They had to get rid of someone and obviously they hadn't been able to do that in time. And Fiorentina have come in and they've closed the deal. But Juventus aside, I mean, for me, this is someone that if you're thinking, right, we want a left back for the next,
01:03:05
Speaker
five to ten years. I mean Parisi for me, I mean I'm not just in Italy, I'm looking Premier League, I think he fits the Premier League perfectly, he's lightning quick, he's so got stamina, he goes up and down, he can defend, he can, I mean he's got every, for me he's complete, for me, I mean he's got everything. The only thing is maybe Ariely a little bit. Ariely, yeah, Ariely is something, yeah, but apart from that, I mean I think he's absolutely fantastic.
01:03:31
Speaker
No, it's a smart signing for sure. It's a very intelligent signing. It's a player who suits the coach perfectly. I'm very, very impressed with what they've done here. And if they get Artur Melo as well on the lead deal where Juventus will pay half his wages, I don't even know.
01:03:55
Speaker
I don't know what to tell you, brother. That would be an interesting one. He's definitely an Italiano player. The problem is with Artemello is he's barely played any football for two years. So it's not going to be easy to turn that around. But if there is somebody that can, I think it's Italiano. I think definitely he's got the attributes to be an Italiano player, the way that he likes to break the press. But yeah, it's been a good start to the summer.
01:04:22
Speaker
It's been a fantastic start to the summer and we're going to do a proper deep dive on them as well. We'll do a proper deep dive on Lazio hopefully next week. All I will say on this is that Lazio are set to sign Valentin Castellanos from New York City FC. Quite a lot of money actually. They're going to pay 15 plus 5, 20 million euros in total for Castellanos. He scored 13 goals in La Liga last season for Girona on loan.
01:04:51
Speaker
from New York. He could potentially replace Imoble who has received a huge bid from Saudi Arabia, from Saudi Arabia, three year contract, 20 million a year, 60 million in total. Latito has said that, denied this and said that he wouldn't sell Imoble even for 50 million or they would need at least 50 million to 10. But I guess that's one to
01:05:13
Speaker
To watch this space, there's going to be a lot of crazy Saudi offers. Right, just before we get onto Badger and Prem Face of the Week, just have to congratulate and celebrate Italy Under-19's winning Euro 2023, a beat.
01:05:31
Speaker
Portugal 1-0 in the final after beating Spain 3-2 in a fantastic semi-final. I watched these games and it was fully deserved from Italy, fully deserved champions, European champions, they were absolutely fantastic.
01:05:51
Speaker
dominated Portugal in the first half. Portugal put them under a bit more pressure in the second half, but Italy defended really well. They should have scored more. They created lots of chances. The winner was scored by Michael Keode, who's another Fiorentina player.
01:06:08
Speaker
who is a right back but played on the right wing in the knockouts and he was a force of nature down the right and he's good with a header. Very, very impressive. But the two players, the two really small little players who really impressed me in the semis in the final were Samueli Vignato who plays for Monza and he's been somebody that's been spoken. I really like him.
01:06:29
Speaker
I really like him. He's a really short kind of Papugomez kind of player. I think it's the way to describe him. Really short but fantastic little turn of speed. Great little dribbler. Can go right and left. Very inventive, dribbler, creative. But also a Juventus youth player, Luis Hasa, who's of an Albanian heritage. And he got the assist in the final.
01:06:56
Speaker
And he struggled a bit in the group stage playing up front and then was moved into central midfield. And he was really, really good. And these two, they were running the show, their link up, the really short kind of Spanish style kind of players. Fantastic. And Master Antonio, the goalkeeper from Roma, he was very, very commanding.
01:07:17
Speaker
There was the De La Valle's, the one place for Juventus, one place for Torino, born a few weeks apart from each other. They're not brothers, I believe they're cousins, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong there. They were very, very good.
01:07:37
Speaker
Esposito, the center forward from Intel, tall center forward, holds the ball up really well. He's a year younger than everyone. He holds the ball up really well. He looks like somebody to watch out for in the future. And that's before we even talk about the so-called star of the team, the big name of the team, Cher Ndur, who's just signed for PSG. We have to be honest, in Italy, you know,
01:08:04
Speaker
You've been very critical of how Italians handle young players, and I think quite rightly so to some extent, but look at this summer. Final of the Under-23 World Cup. Under-20. Yeah, Under-20, sorry. Under-21 euros, we know the quality of the players there. We know why they failed. It's because the coach isn't good enough and hasn't been for 20 years. But the quality is there if you look at the players. You look at the Under-19s.
01:08:32
Speaker
If there is youth level, Italy is doing really well. We've had a good summer. We've had a great summer in terms of the under 19s and under 20s. And it shows that we can produce players. But we know what the issue is, Nima, don't we? It's the pathway from here into senior football. We know that is the problem. But that's always the problem everywhere.
01:08:59
Speaker
like it's a problem in Italy more than anywhere else you just look at the stats the number of youth players that play in Italy is at the bottom of the league is bottom of Europe you know this is the problem we need to be there needs to be a pathway for these guys to be playing Serie A to be playing you know at the top level
01:09:17
Speaker
And that is what we cannot throw away this because you know, we've shown there's players here that have got potential I mean I look at this under 19 team and I look at players like vignette or and Hasa who technically they've got it They've got the technique. They've got the technical qualities to make it but they need to be You know integrated into I mean hassas not going to make it every under with allegory and there's no doubt about that You know, they've got to be playing in the right teams with the right coaches the right set up the pathway needs to be there so
01:09:45
Speaker
I just want these guys to start playing. I hope they do. No, absolutely, absolutely. But yeah, no, it's looking good. I mean, the youth growth in terms of international competition, whether it be global or just in Europe,
01:10:04
Speaker
under 19, under 21s, under 23, it's looking good.
Dele Alli's Interview and Personal Impact
01:10:10
Speaker
It's looking really good and it's looking good for the first time in a very long time and I'm actually pretty positive about it. We just need to see how, like you said, to get these guys into the city. Yeah, exactly. That's the key.
01:10:28
Speaker
Okay, right. Let's go on to Badjo and Premvace of the Week. Right, Badjo, we've already done. It's the Italy under-19. And it's also Dele Alli. You have to watch that interview. What he's gone through, and you could tell when he was speaking about it,
01:10:50
Speaker
So openly, he's still dealing with these issues. And I think it's so important that he because the people are, you know, when they don't know, people have to judge a lot. And he's he has him speaking so frankly about the incredibly traumatic childhood that he had up until the age of 12. And it doesn't just magically disappear then either. And then trying to find who you are and to deal with that trauma.
01:11:20
Speaker
that you suffered as a child and to try to, at the same time, go through puberty. At the same time, you're a footballer with the eyes of the media always on you.
01:11:33
Speaker
I think, wow, what he did was fantastic. Very brave, very brave. Very brave and important, very important. Very important, yeah, because unfortunately, this is what happens with victims of child abuse, is this is something that unfortunately,
01:11:51
Speaker
with a vast, vast majority of children who are abused into adulthood, it never goes away. It's with them for the rest of their lives. And that's why I personally think it's the most evil thing that you can do on this planet is to abuse a child. Because when you abuse a child, it's, you know, I've seen it to people that I know, you know, it stays with you forever. And you're damaged, you know, and that's what that's,
01:12:19
Speaker
for use of a better word you know and unfortunately that's what's happened with Delhi Ali and it's very very sad and you can see watching that interview how much he suffered and how much he's still suffering and this is what happens and it's pure evil.
01:12:34
Speaker
But there's more to it as well. It's a worldwide problem. If you look at the numbers of children who are abused or go missing, be it from the care system or just in general, it's absolutely off the scales and not enough is done about it. You never see it talked about in the news at all. It's something that just isn't dealt with.
01:13:00
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's all the love in the world to just not just that. I mean, look, this is a someone who grew up in a very broken home, a father who he absolutely has no relationship with, who
01:13:13
Speaker
When he was sent to live with, the relationship was obviously not working. He wasn't the present father that he needed. His mother was an alcoholic, and he's very keen to talk about how he doesn't blame her because she has an illness. Alcoholism is an illness. Substance abuse is a health issue.
01:13:35
Speaker
I'm and and you know growing up the way he did he didn't have any lines any any anyone to raise him was raised on his own you know he talk about having a key in coming and going as he wanted.
01:13:47
Speaker
no one telling him when he needed to go to bed. He had no structure in his life up until the age of 12. Selling drugs as a result of that at the age of 8 had almost been killed by someone, an adult, at the estate next to him holding him off a bridge. That's just some of the things that he decided to share.
01:14:09
Speaker
His life story is not just the sexual abuse, although that is part of it, but it's all of it together. He is incredibly traumatized. A lot of people have grown up like that.
01:14:23
Speaker
I think it's so important that he talks about this, like he said himself, I want to help someone, if I can, to seek help, to deal with the trauma and heal, because this is a lot of trauma, and like he so correctly said, psychological trauma
01:14:42
Speaker
it leaves a mark on your body as well. It's not just mental and you have to heal. I really want to commend him for the honest way, the vulnerable way that he spoke about it. I think I just wish nothing but
01:15:03
Speaker
love, respect, and solidarity with people with all victims of all sorts of childhood abuse, be it sexual or otherwise. And I think he's such a brave person. And more needs to be done to help these people, but also to stop it from happening. And that is the big thing, because nothing is done. Nothing is done. In fact, it's
01:15:28
Speaker
just just you know without going off on too much of a tangent you just look at the Epstein case for example what was done on that Epstein island and not a single person
01:15:40
Speaker
that was, and these are all high society, elite people, not a single person, client of Epstein has been arrested since that happened. And that tells you everything about how it's, not only is nothing done about it, it's covered up. So, you know, this is unfortunately, and that's just one strand of it, you know, unfortunately, you know, it's not dealt with. And you never see the stuff on the news, which is why you don't, it's never on the news.
01:16:10
Speaker
I mean no no no but it's like this is this is really something that is a problem everywhere and this kind of you know these social economic you know a lot of this stuff. The vulnerable kids are like Delhi Alley grew up in an environment like that they are the ones that are
01:16:29
Speaker
the ones that are the victims of this kind of abuse and this kind of upbringing, because because they are vulnerable, they don't have, you know, and then the people that those that grew up in the care system, and he ended up going into the care system, then he didn't have a foster, he didn't say he was lucky.
01:16:44
Speaker
Yeah, he was fortunate. So he got a good foster parents. Some don't. Some get bad foster parents. Some grew up in care homes. So many kids go missing from care homes. But they're taken out of care homes. They disappear. They never hear from them again. And they get used for all this kind of abuse and trafficking because they're easily taken. So it's a real messed up. It's a horrible messed up system. It just goes to show that growing up in a family, a loving family is something that you just
01:17:14
Speaker
you know you can't take for granted if you're lucky enough to have a family that loves you and parents that look after you or or guardians that look after you whoever you grow up with and that's the only thing that's the that I mean it's a gift it really is because there's so many like Delhi Ali that grew up in a
American 'Prem Face' Segment
01:17:32
Speaker
you know and horrific conditions and yeah and the triggers as well because he's going to have lots of triggers isn't he that will set him off i think he said didn't he about when merino there he felt like it not merino um pocatino left he felt like he was abandoned again yeah and that was a trigger for him and you know this happens a lot with abuse victims because it's not been because he because he's not dealt with it but now he's starting to deal with it and i think
01:17:56
Speaker
And I just want to... It's an ongoing struggle. It's something that he will, unfortunately, he will be fighting for the rest of his life. And it's just going to be how he can try and deal with it. As much as he can. No, it's just... He's always going to be there, unfortunately. Which is why he's so evil, because this kind of stuff, it's like a life sentence for the victims. Absolutely. Anyway, prim face of the week. Now I'm going to combine this. So just to end on a...
01:18:24
Speaker
on a lighter note. So I've gone for the official MLS Twitter account. How is that real? We thought the Serie A Twitter account was bad. How is this real? How did this happen? I don't know. I don't know. So Sergio Busquets signed for Into Miami on Sunday evening, but they put a picture. They put a picture of Alvaro Arbeloa.
01:18:50
Speaker
It's the welcome to MLS. Brilliant. Absolutely love it. Yeah, so that's my prem face of the week. Yeah, that stays without a doubt the prem face of the week. But that fits in nicely because we discussed this on the show last week, didn't we? Saying that we want a name. We want to come up with a name like coin a term for the American version of a prem face. So it has to be someone who is a prem face.
01:19:20
Speaker
but kind of an Americanized version. So we asked our listeners to send in some suggestions. And I put out a tweet over the weekend asking for suggestions. I had so many hilarious suggestions. So I'm just getting my post up now. Now, my two favorite ones, let me put it in here for you, Nima, so you can have a little look while we're talking. So my two favorite ones are
01:19:48
Speaker
Yanker. I like that one too. That one was my favorite too. That was sent in by, let me find it just so that I can give credit where it's due. So, Radjats, who I believe is a patron. Yeah. Radjats, at Radjat 15 is his Twitter handle. Yanker is really funny. Yeah, Yanker is really good. My only issue with Yanker is that what is the beauty of Prem Face is that
01:20:19
Speaker
It's got the prem in the actual name as well. And then the face just makes it look like just a stupid face, kind of like, so you're a prem face, whereas Yanka is kind of, there's no premier league reference to it. It's just kind of like a play on words. So that's my only issue with that, but otherwise it's fantastic. And then Dan Edwards, Danny Edwards, Daniel Edwards is an Argentine foot journalist. We had him on the show a few weeks back. He did a profile on Mattia Rettigri. I really like this. He, he come up with Prem LS face.
01:20:49
Speaker
which I really, really liked as well. Those are my two favorites. I don't know if there's anything else. I'll read out. We had the Lalas Awards. Someone should say we should call that. Eduardo Beto is a patron said that. Someone called Dan also said Yanker on Patreon.
01:21:11
Speaker
Shout out to him. Andre says, Uncle Sam, stupid. Yankballa. Arash said, crackpot of the week. Thunderhead. Max Lombardi says, American jock face. Kuna Assani said, sock face. I quite like that one.
01:21:30
Speaker
This one I like, the Lebron of soccer, which is quite a good one. Yeah, I think a Yanker was my... I think that is the winner right there. I think that is so good. Yanker is so, so good. Yanky doodle dummy. People have gone crazy on this. Yankers, shit face. Yeah.
01:21:54
Speaker
Yeah, I think like my two favorites are yanker and premise face. Yeah. So yeah, we will be using those going forward whenever any Americans or whenever anybody on ESPN FC says something stupid, we'll call them a yanker or premise face.
01:22:11
Speaker
Okay. Right. Brilliant. Right. Let's leave it at that. A lot. We went through a lot today. It was a quite a lot to talk about. Yeah.
Conclusion and Upcoming Shows
01:22:18
Speaker
We'll be back on Tuesday for the Q and A and then Thursday, Wednesday or Thursday for our latest transfer Mercado deep dive on Roma. Yeah. We'll have the catalog from in Romanistan, radio Romanista web. There we go. So make sure to check that out. It's all out on patreon.com slash TIFB.
01:22:37
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Right, okay, right. Have a good week everyone. We'll see you on Tuesday. Until then, ciao ciao.