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AC Milan Top, Juventus Flop: January Transfer Window Winners & Losers (Clip From Ep. 492)
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From AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli to Inter Milan, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina and the rest of the Serie A teams, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese debate, discuss, analyze and grade the 2025 January transfer window deals of all Serie A clubs.
This is an extended clip from this week's free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube podcasts.
To listen to this & all other full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast (and support the show), go to Patreon.com/TIFP OR now also available on Spotify OR YouTube Memberships and sign up. Your support makes The Italian Football Podcast possible.
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Transcript
Serie A Transfer Market Overview
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Let's move on to its deadline day today, recording this on Monday. So there are still some transfers that that that will go through before the close of Monday. But let's do our transfer market winners and losers for Serie A and this this January.
Inter's Transfer Activity: Success or Mediocrity?
00:00:23
Speaker
And what I think is the easiest way to do is let's work through each of the each of the major teams are quickly run through what business they've done and then we'll, let's give a grade out of 10. Some of these teams will be hard to to give grades for, but some we can go to more detail, in particular, Juventus, which I will be going into a lot of detail on. So let's start off with Inter. They've brought in one player, Zalebski, on loan from Roma. They've got rid of two players, Palacios to Monza on loan and Buchanan on loan to Villareal with a
00:00:58
Speaker
an option to buy, I believe. um So that's that's their business. not Not much to go on really, Nima. So do you want to try and give a rating out of 10 for that? I don't know what to say. um They've not done anything. I mean, it's it's it's just...
00:01:16
Speaker
I really don't know what to say. I mean, yeah what do you give? I don't know how to read, but probably just six out of 10 because it's a standard, like haven't done anything. Haven't, haven't, you know, it's just a left skip for Buchanan really. Yeah. And Palacios wasn't even really part of the project. They sent him on Monza and he was actually pretty good people. You know, he, he, he was a bit slow for the goal, but overall that was a decent performance by, by, uh, by Palacios against Hellas. Yeah. And I'm glad that he's out there because you know
00:01:48
Speaker
He's a big guy and it's going to be interesting to see what he does. He's probably slightly more useful than Buchanan. In that respect, let's give it a 6.1 out of 10, rather than a 6 out of 10. It'll be slightly more useful than Buchanan. As I said in in the intersection, i think that he's going to be I think he's potentially a really shrewd signing. He's young,
00:02:11
Speaker
Um, defensively, there are issues, but look, if, if, if, uh, in Zagi can make the Marco work. I defensively, I don't see why he can't improve Zalefsky as a young player. What I do like about Zalefsky is that he's a good crosser. And we saw that, I mean, he's in a team like into that is something very useful. And and it was a good great start, the assist and also the cross for Dumfries. Yeah. um And he's easy. He can play on both wings, which which in Zaghi likes.
00:02:41
Speaker
No, I think it's a, I think that'll be a shrewd signing. Okay.
Napoli's Risky Sale of Kvaratskhelia
00:02:45
Speaker
Napoli now. So, so far, and there is going to be a lot of stuff happening on deadline day, Napoli players, they brought in Skofet, on loan from calorie, Hasse, from Lecce, Billing, on loan from Bournemouth. The players that have gone out are Mario Rui released Caprile on loan to Callery, Foloruncho to Fiorentina, Zerebin on loan to Venezia and of course the big one Kvitche Kvitce Galia to PSG for 75 million. um Now, there will be stuff happening on deadline day. ah Napoli actually wants a sign
00:03:29
Speaker
a defender, a midfielder, an attacker. They are in talks to bring Komuzo from Fiorentino, which will be a good sign in for the future. and And for now, they need it they need a they need a ah backup um at centre back. And and and he's and he's you know he's had a very good season until the last few weeks where he's been a little bit disappointing for Fiorentino. But that's also the kind of sign in they need to try and refresh and build for the future because this is an old team that I think is going to maybe struggle next season unless they they ah address that. So that will be a decent sign in. um Midfield, we'll see if they bring anyone in. um
00:04:05
Speaker
but the failure to properly replace Kavera at Scalia, um which which as we discussed earlier on in the in the podcast. Conte is very unhappy about and was critical of in his pre-match press conference, head of the weekend. um that's ah that's That's a huge ah huge failure um by by Napoli in that they've got a great chance to go on and win the Scudetto. And if they don't win the Scudetto,
00:04:31
Speaker
um Conte has every right at the end of the season to blame the failure to properly spend the Cavaro money and and replace him properly um as ah as a big reason why. um So i for that reason, alone Nima, I'm going to give For now, I'm going to give this a 4.5 out of 10. But if they bring in Komuzo, I'm going to give it a 5 out of 10.
00:05:00
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It looks like Komutsu is staying. um and And also this Saint Maximann player. like I don't particularly rate him, but if Konta is given the green light and he thinks he can work with him, I've seen Konta turn wing league titles with Padouin and Jacarini and Victor Moses and Ashley Young. So, you know, i if Konta's given the green light, then I'm sure he'll do fine. I mean, he very rarely fails with with signings because he's such a system manager and he knows exactly what he wants.
00:05:37
Speaker
So I still maintain that Napoli shouldn't do anything. I think it's the wise thing to do in terms of fighting because the amount of money they spent last summer and also there's more things to do in next summer. Yeah, the point is that I think you can only justify not doing anything if you win the Scudetto. If you win the Scudetto, then it's justified. If not, then you've blown a rare chance to win the skirtter because they're not going to get another chance i don't think no i don't think so either they won' because next season they're going to be in the champions league and kte or no concert say i'm sorry this team is not winning the not winning the cadeto next season i don't think this is whatt with that many number of games i think this i agree with you i think this is the golden chart this is why i think that they should have they should have taken this opportunity.
Atalanta's Defensive Challenges
00:06:20
Speaker
and They might go another 33 years without winning a Scudetto. Like I said, matchday 35 at Villa del Mare in his hometown, where he is pretty hated because of his connections to Bari and Bari and Leccia, there's a rivalry there for those who don't know.
00:06:37
Speaker
for him to come back to his hometown and i just he's gonna win it and let's move on to atalantta so so far they're going to be doing business on deadline day theyve brought in daniel maldii and they've let go godfrey to ibpsswich town alone sopi on loan to ah loanne um But they've had some really bad news as we're speaking, and Skamaka is going to be out for quite a while again. so we i mean I don't even know if if we can write off his season, given he's coming back from an ACL. There's other injuries, which we said earlier in the spod. So they I think they're going to sign an attacker for sure, strike another striker.
00:07:16
Speaker
And they need a defender as well. They've got nothing in defense now. They're absolutely decimated in defense. They don't even have enough defenders. They're going to have to play their own pretty much every game in defense. So I think they will sign another defender. So right now, I mean, they've lost. Zagnolo is going to Fiorentino.
00:07:36
Speaker
his contract, his loan contract has been terminated. So yeah, I don't think it's been a good market for Atalanta, but you know they they have to try and rescue it on on deadline day. So right now, as we speak, I'm probably going to go five out of 10. Yeah, but i i that announcement video of Daniel Maldini, Maldini is a Nerazzuro. Nerazzuro fits better. I mean, it's just, that's elite trolling.
00:08:02
Speaker
like I giggled a lot when I saw that. It was hilarious. But yeah, no, I think you're right. They didn't do, they needed to do something in defence and they didn't. Yeah. And midfield as well, in my opinion. Now for me it was more about the defence, I just don't think. Midfield, to send them to midfield, as we said, they don't have anything other than Edison. Yeah, Edison is a problem that they don't have anything to back aside if he were to be injured or suspended. I think that's an issue.
00:08:33
Speaker
but but the defense for me, I mean, if if if you, I'm not talking about buying, you know, Bongiorno, that's a little bit, might might be a little bit out of their league, but they should be able to have better defenders than Jim City and Toloy.
00:08:51
Speaker
They really should. Yeah.
Lazio's Youth Focus: A Strategic Move?
00:08:53
Speaker
Lazio. So they've, they've been quite busy. They, they brought in Ibrahimovich from Bayern Munich, um, Prostgard from Velier. And they've just sorted out a deal for Bella Hian from Verona. Who's smart by a lot of big clubs. Um, Castravillian Akbar Akbaro both going to Monza on, on loan. Um, I look at this for, for Lazio as Lazio, basically.
00:09:18
Speaker
working for the future. that they They really are doing a really good job in in buying younger, developing players and creating a the next team. of latu which is They've done such a great job because we thought that they were going to struggle for for a couple of years. we did we We spoke about it a lot on the part and I think that was a logical thing to say, looking at how old their team is and the way that they've managed to to so quickly create ah actually quite a young team with ah with a lot of upturn. and They were trying to sign Casade, they obviously missed out on him. um so that's ah That is the most ridiculous transfer soap opera I think I've ever seen. A friend of mine was a Laziale, oh so he's a patron on the part, David, he he messaged me saying, this this this ridiculous soap opera, it's like we're trying to sign Neymar, not Cesare Casade, it's ridiculous.
00:10:06
Speaker
back and forth between him, between Torino and Lazo. It's done. It's not done. It's done. It's not done. It's it's just been a complete shit show. But again, to to your first point, Lazio and Lottito are good at building this first step. They're very good at years year zero and year one. They always fail when they go higher up. um And That's just how it is with Lottito. He's very good at rebooting and building something from scratch. But they have done it faster than I expected. Much faster. That's why I'm very impressed with what I've done. I hope they go on and win the Europa League. I'm pissed off that they can't play Roma in the final because that would have been one of the most beautiful, amazing things ever. But yeah, I hope they go on and win the Europa League. Whoever wins Roma, Lazio,
00:10:52
Speaker
I think they can still. I need to work it out because there's not they're not guaranteed to play them in the last city. It's 50-50. If they don't meet them, I'm not sure where they go in the draw. If they go on the other side of the draw and miss it, I'm not sure. I need to i need to work that out. But it's a 50-50 chance they can meet in the last 16.
Juventus: Transfer Missteps and Financial Woes
00:11:08
Speaker
um Juventus, OK. Welcome to the Juventus Big Bitch Fest featuring Carcannia. Juventus are undoubtedly the losers of the of the transfer market. There's no doubt about that. um And that isn't just in reference to the now, today and this season, but more so, I think, for what it represents for the Juventus project as a whole, what it represents for Juventus building for the future and what their team is going to be like for next season.
00:11:39
Speaker
what it means, not just for the sports inside, but also for the financial side of the club. It's an unmitigated disaster in in the hole, if we look at it like that. So the players they've brought in so far are Columuani on an expensive loan from PSG to the end of the season, Albert Costa from Vittoria Guimaraes for around 15 million euros, ah Renato Vega on an expensive, dry loan also from Chelsea of around, I think, four and a half to five million.
00:12:10
Speaker
and then Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle for 22 minutes. You say it was such disgust out that big guy's name. Well, of course. It's not his fault. So far, so far, zero sales. Can't can't sell a life jacket on the Titanic. and Can't even give away a life jacket on the Titanic. and Oh, Christiana Jinsley. Let me first of all just just comment on the Lloyd Kelly signing.
00:12:37
Speaker
22 million euros in total plus a sell-on so that even if you're going to sell him on, Newcastle are going to get some of that. I mean, this is such a horrific deal. I just i just cannot believe it. Again, this is nothing against Lloyd Kelly at all. I hope he he he's a successful sign-in for Juventus. I hope he is and it wouldn't be the first time where you know we you know we we, as in everyone, has been critical of ah of a sign-in and they've proved us wrong. I hope he proves us wrong. I hope he's fantastic. I hope he turns into and so Bobby Moore. you know It would be great.
00:13:13
Speaker
but i mean It's absolutely shocking that, you' first of all, from a defensive point of view, Juventus knew since the beginning of October that they needed to sign a centre back to replace Bremer, who'd done his ACL. And they had three months going into January. It's now four months now, basically, since since since his injury. um And they've had all that time to prepare. um It was obviously heightened by the injury to Cabal as well.
00:13:42
Speaker
and it's come to the end of the final days day of the transfer window and Juventus are scrambling a around slambing around making a panic buy so by pay 22 million for a Newcastle reserve who left on a free transfer last summer, I mean, it's just embarrassing. It's absolutely embarrassing to pay that amount of money on a player who probably is not even gonna, well, he's not even gonna be a first-choice Juventus player because the first-choice pair, when they're fit, are gonna be Gatti and Calulu. You're paying 22 million? I mean, it's shocking. It's absolutely shocking. And, you know, you could have, if you're gonna buy a backup center back because you're so desperate,
00:14:27
Speaker
Just keep Danilo to the end of the season. Keep Danilo as a fourth choice in the back and don't pay anything. From a financial point of view, when you're already struggling, I mean, it's it's absolutely, it's absolutely, it's just unbelievable. It's got to this. It's crazy. It's crazy. And this is, I mean, that's just the center back. Then you look at everything as as a whole. I mean, how much money has Jun City spent this this January? I think um somebody else did the maths. It comes to about 45 million.
00:14:56
Speaker
in total the amount of money that he's he spent this month when you add up all the loan fees. um Two of these loans are not that they're going to lose at the end of the season, so that's dead money. um Albert Costa, who they've signed, you know hasn't played ah hasn't played a mini yet.
00:15:10
Speaker
Alberto Costa hasn't played a minute yet and he's clearly a player that they're going to be developing. um butno and you know so I mean, Colomani looks like he's going to be a good buy and hopefully we'll we'll get them you know into the into the top four. But you know the Juventus won't have him next season because ah because it's only a loan. So it's just this is just no way to so build a team. It really isn't. it and it just It's just another black mark against Jintle in what's been a disastrous season and for for him in the transfer market. Going back to so last summer, which we've we've spoken to death about you know how much money he wasted, 145 million euros on three flops in Douglas Louise, Cook Miners, and Nico Gonzalez. um He's gone six months with only one striker. He's created a defense that's so shallow that against Benfica last week, they had to pay three midfielders
00:16:09
Speaker
in the back four. Now you add on to that, that they've they've spent 22 million on Lloyd Kelly. They spent 50 million on Douglas Louise instead of signing Calla Fury. um You know, they've tried to sell Cambiaso. He hasn't been able to sell anyone. And, you know, it's just, is it's just, it's just, it's just embarrassing, really. It really is. It's like a banter, banter club, banter era club with with the way that they handle wage andlys handle this transfer market? Yeah. It's it's not been good. um And it reeks of desperation.
00:16:47
Speaker
ah It really does reek of desperation. and But the proof will be in the pudding, if you know depending on how it goes and so on. But it does feel like does feel ah very much like someone one who is scrambling.
00:17:05
Speaker
who is backpedaling trying to save his own butt after after after a of dreadful ah summer so far, because again, no Italian club can afford to spend 140 million. And all those three players so far have been dreadful. I'm not saying they're going to be. I think co-biners and Nico Gonzalez will still probably come good.
00:17:33
Speaker
But i Douglas Luis is just it's an embarrassment. Like that you can't afford to. And every single three of them so far has been has been done so far. But we're told you venors have no money and they don't. um but they then they spend 22 million on Lloyd Kelly, who's going to be a backup defender at most, you know, many fourth and maybe fourth choice defender. We're told, you know, so where's that that 22 million is going to have to come from? somewhere It's going to come from the sacrifice. They're trying to get rid of Fajoli on deadline day, which is fine. Okay. But you know, they're going to get less money for Fajoli than, than, than what they're paying for, than what they're paying for, for Lloyd Kelly. So that doesn't make any sense.
00:18:12
Speaker
from a financial but from financial point of view, trying to save money, and when and and repeat this, you could have just, if you're gonna sign Lloyd Kelly, because you've got no debt in the tax, you could have just kept Danilo as a fourth choice. Can't get me wrong, I think Danilo's way past his best, he's not good enough, he enters but if you're talking about, you're now got to the desperation stage where you just need a body, you just need someone to be the fourth sense about, you could have had Danilo and not spent a penny.
00:18:39
Speaker
And now you could have just kept, or you could have just kept Dean Hosan, who was doing a fantastic job at Pournemouth. Your pain is telling you more for Lloyd Kelly than you got when you sold Hosan. This is the whole problem though, because I mean, there was a reason for selling Dean Hosan in the summer, and that was to try and fund their their summer transfer market, you know, bringing in the other players, which have ended up being a failure. Right. But the point is that this is this is the whole issue that I've had with Juventus' transfer markets for a long time. Way predating, predating Junzli into the time of paratechi, where it's just one player in. It's just constant firefighting is we have to we have to sacrifice this player in order to be able to one, balance the books, but in two, in order to bring in this player that we need to fill in this hole.
00:19:25
Speaker
and it's just constant firefighting. So it's we have to we have to sacrifice Spin at Solo, we have to sacrifice Cancello in order to bring in this player. So you're getting rid of ah of ah of ah of ah of a good player, a player that's weakening your team in order to bring in a player in another position. you know We have to sacrifice Dean Hoyson because we want to sign ah you know Douglas Louise, or we have to sacrifice Cambiazzo in January because we need a center back and we're gonna sign a center back with Cambiazzo's money. like This is not how you build.
00:19:53
Speaker
this is it's just put in one fire out you start another fire you put out one fire you start another fire this is this is not a way that a competent ah top director it's not something you would ever see a top sporting director do and this is this is that this is the problem Juventus have had ever since the Ronaldo Ever since the Ronaldo deal, it's been sacrificing one player, top player, in order to pay for another one. and and And it's just no way to build a team. And this is why Juventus are i'm not going to build a successful team with this with this strategy. No, he is scrambling. It's not looking good. but um yeah night So for me, it's a so one out of 10.
00:20:38
Speaker
Or zero, I can tell. Zero point five, because Colin Moani has been... So dramatic! yeah No, it's not. Give it a zero. Zero out of 10. Oh dear. Zero out of 10. Milan. I'd say four. and so That's very generous. Milan. So Milan milan are bringing in Kyle Walker, ah brought in Kyle Walker and Santi Jimenez. Calabria and Maratta have gone. um There is a potential of a late deadline day deal. Giaw Felix is is
00:21:13
Speaker
a possibility. Okafor could leave as well. Atalanta are looking at him. So so yeah Milan, um I think Milan have done well. I think Milan have done well. They've they've they've strengthened. yeah That's all you can ask. ah this Is the team stronger through their signings? Yes, the defence is definitely stronger with Walker and Jimenez. I mean, Murata, even if Jimenez is not good, he can't be worse than Murata.
00:21:39
Speaker
you know is so time will tell if he's a success, but Morata was not offering anything. So I think it's a deal they had to do. We'll see if it works out. So I think Milan has been... It's a player they've wanted for a long time. I'm glad they got that over the line. I think seven out of 10 for Milan. I think they were a stronger team. They're stronger forward. I think that's fair.
Roma's Conservative Market Strategy
00:21:59
Speaker
I think that's fair. I think that's fair. Okay. Who are we missing? Fiorentina and Roma to finish off. So Fiorentina,
00:22:12
Speaker
Fiorentin have been quite active actually, Fiorentin now. They still will be on. So they've brought in Valentini and from Boca Juniors, Fuller Rinshow from Napoli, Pablo Marie from Monza, Cher and Duof Bashita, Zani Ola from Galatezeray.
00:22:25
Speaker
out, Ikone to Carmo, Martinez-Quarte to River Plate, Christensen, Sillington and Coyote to Brentford. They're still trying to do some business and on deadline day as well. Vaggioli, someone they're looking at, although Marce are ahead at the moment. um So yeah, I think pretty good. Coyote obviously is a bit gutting because he's someone for the future for them. But I think that Polorunce is a good sign in for them. zaiola can, you know, if they can get the best out of him, Pablo Marie, as long as they don't lose Komutsu, which you you said you think is going to stay now, i I would give them a seven as well. Agreed. I think that's, I think they've done good business and I think they, they, they're already in a good position. um So yeah, I think six and a half seven is is fair. Yeah. And finally Roma. um So Roma have, let's have a look who Roma brought in.
00:23:24
Speaker
in the January transfer. august So they bought him wrench from Ajax, Bellini from Atalanta. And they are going to bring in a sense of back. It looks like Nelson from Galatasaray, who you know about. It was going to be Gochlidze who then who came on and he was left out of the team for the employee Juventus game because he was about to join Roma, was forced to come on in the second half because because as Miley got injured, had a disastrous substitute appearance.
00:23:52
Speaker
and Roma decided from that sub-street appearance not to sign him and sign Nelson instead. So probably a loser of the window is Koclice from Empoli who lost his move to to Roma because of playing in it as a sub in a game in which he wasn't supposed to play and if he hadn't have played would have moved to Roma. so That's a quirk.
00:24:11
Speaker
so yeah um And then out, Lefé to Sunderland, Ryan to Larnes, Hermoso to Lebakous, and then Zalebski to Inza. So limited business for Roma in this market. It's probably not really easy to give them anything other than a six, I would say, really.
00:24:28
Speaker
Yeah. And also it's it's a Roma that need to kind of get rid of the nonsense that happened last summer and bring themselves to this summer, but the next summer, coming summer in some sort of a stability so they can actually restart a serious project. um So they're basically trying to get rid of players that is just are not part of anything. And so I think six and a half is is fair. Okay.