This Summer in Italy: The BEST Transfer Window EVER

By: Julian | March 26th, 2011

The Italian national team did play yesterday, pulling off a comfortable 1-0 win away against Slovenia- the first time Gli Azzurri had ever won away there. Cesare Prandelli’s rebuilding continues along a smooth pace, with more answers than questions being delivered. The Italian newspapers can only talk about that one game for so long, for so many pages, however, and the subsequent result is massive, massive amounts of transfer talk. How these papers know which team is going to buy who so far ahead of time is impressive, but all fans of Serie A should be incredibly excited. Your team of choice is going to buy everyone you want, and then some!

Take Roma, for example. The side are currently undergoing their busiest transfer window in nearly a decade, despite the fact that the window has yet to open. Jeremy Menez? Surely on his way out, to either Napoli or Juventus based on which report you read. Giallorossi faithful have little reason to despair, however. Incoming to replace the Frenchman is Lucas Podolski (if Napoli don’t take him first). And also Gareth Bale, Didier Drogba, and Alex Sanchez. Possibly Cesc Fabregas, Javier Pastore, and Jose Boswinga as well. Gigi Buffon is nearly a certainty to head to the capital side, unless Arsenal take him first. Those English bastards.

The irony being, of course, this is Roma. The team whose biggest acquisition last summer was $10 million AC Milan reject Marco Borriello- for free at first, only having to buy him at the end of this campaign. The same Roma that never had any money, up until Thomas Di Benedetto was linked to the club. The same Di Benedetto who doesn’t even officially own the club yet, who has not ever had a transfer window to judge him on. And yet, because Roma need new players, and because the club has a new owner, they can suddenly go after any and every-one.

Di Benedetto must be quite angry. He had a fantastic mercato lined up, and the papers just had to go and spill the beans.

bag_of_money

Other teams look likely to suffer similar fates this summer. Juventus? Despite a massive transfer campaign last summer, the Turin side are going to spend massively again this summer. Giuseppe Rossi? Sure. Alex Sanchez, Jeremy Menez, and Neymar? Why not? It’s going to be difficult for Sanchez to play two games every weekend, once for Roma and then once for Juventus, but that seems irrelevant. Both clubs want him, both clubs certainly have the cash (they must, it says so on the internet), so both will buy him. Rules? Rules are for losers.

It’s the same all around the peninsula. Inter and Milan will BOTH sign Ganso. And why not? If Sanchez can play for two teams, surely he can as well. The Rossoneri will also take Philippe Mexes from Roma’s hands, though they will have to share him with Liverpool. It’ll be tough, sure, but owning half a defender is surely better than owning none at all. Not happy with the side’s attack, Milan fans? No worries, Bayern will fail to make the Champions’ League and ship Arjen Robben your way.

For Udinese, life after Sanchez will be difficult. Luckily the club have already found the NEW Sanchez (my that was fast, no), so there should be no problems there. Fiorentina? Marco Van Basten will take over and sell Juan Vargas to Barcelona. And on and on and on. Safe to say, if there’s a big name player out there, he’s moving this summer. The one exception may be Lionel Messi, but even that’s no guarantee.

•

The papers are ruining this summer! The most exciting transfer campaign that any league has ever seen has already been spoiled by the internet. Manchester City and Real Madrid will look over at Italy and only wish they were part of a league with so many transfers. They’ll try, oh yes they will, to match the spending, but it seems inevitable now.

Serie A will return to greatness. And you’ll have to thank an American owner at Roma for that.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Follow Julian on Twitter for Serie A news coverage, updates on new posts, and more, @JulianDeMar.

Some Related Serie A Posts:

Category: Serie A

« Podcasts Updated, The Azzurri Returneth, and the Azzurrini Triumphant. | Home | SuperPippo Could Return Very Soon »

Johonna

you forgot that Juve will also buy Mascherano (la gazzetta gives it a 50% chance of happening). And the news today in Italy is all about how Inter already has a deal for Sanchez (I guess he can play for three teams) and Balotelli is going to Milan this summer.

[oh my god, Italian game shows are bizarre! which is a non sequitur but one just came on and I had to share]
Pragathish

Juventus and Chelsea sign Neymar.
Comrade

Just noticed the tags. LOL!
Drewsef

"The one exception may be Lionel Messi, but even that’s no guarantee."

Where the fuck have you been -- didn't you hear that he's joining Inter? The contract is all but signed! To get him, I think we're going to have to offer Barca Montolivo, De Rossi and Inler as makeweights. (Oh yeah, those guys are all Inter players now too. You didn't hear?)
Nerazzurro

Barca want us to give them our half of Robben (yes he's an Inter player as well, we're sharing him with Milan, you know every player linked with Milan gets linked with Inter as well) to annoy Real.

Also, apparently Schweini was seen wearing an Inter jersey after the Bayern-Inter game and Lucio was seen wearing a Bayern shirt, could this be a swap in the making???!!1!!??questionmark??

http://www.xtratime.org/forum/...
Drewsef

Julian,

You do realize that some football site, somewhere, is going to see this and cite it as legitimate news, right? I half expect to see dueling pro-and-con editorials up on goal.com soon debating whether or not Sanchez should be allowed to play for two clubs at once, "as per recent reports."
jorid22

ITT: Butthurt, butthurt everywhere.

Excellent work Julian, please keep it up.

Article was funny as hell and I love seeing British meatballs commonly made of pork offal cry.
Julian

I'm going to make T-shirts that say "Jorid is my Homie". Anyone else want one?
Comrade

I want one.
Le Piane

[Edited by Julian]: Now now, the only person you're allowed to insult here is me. If you want to hurl insults at anyone, follow PDubz's lead below and please direct them solely to myself.
PDubz18

Seriously dude, you're a terrible writer. You don't even know how to keep your bias out...you wrote 90% about Roma even though most of it wasn't funny/entertaining.
jorid22

You were my sun
You were my earth
But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no
So you took a chance
And made other plans
But I bet you didn't think that they would come crashing down, no

You don't have to say, what you did,
I already know, I found out from him
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be
And don't it make you sad about it

You told me you loved me
Why did you leave me, all alone
Now you tell me you need me
When you call me, on the phone
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused
With some other guy
Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn
To cry, cry me a river
Cry me a river-er
Cry me a river
Cry me a river-er, yea yea

I know that they say
That somethings are better left unsaid
It wasn't like you only talked to him and you know it
(Don't act like you don't know it)
All of these things people told me
Keep messing with my head
(Messing with my head)
You should've picked honesty
Then you may not have blown it
(Yea..)

You don't have to say, what you did,
(Don't have to say, what you did)
I already know, I found out from him
(I already know, uh)
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be
(No chance, you and me)
And don't it make you sad about it

You told me you loved me
Why did you leave me, all alone
(All alone)
Now you tell me you need me
When you call me, on the phone
(When you call me on the phone)
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused
With some other guy
(I'm not like them baby)
Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn
(It's your turn)
To cry, cry me a river
(Go on and just)
Cry me a river-er
(Go on and just)
Cry me a river
(Baby go on and just)
Cry me a river-er, yea yea

Oh
(Oh)
The damage is done
So I guess I be leaving
Oh
(Oh)
The damage is done
So I guess I be leaving
Oh
(Oh)
The damage is done
So I guess I be leaving
Oh
(Oh)
The damage is done
So I guess I be... leaving

You don't have to say, what you did,
(Don't have to say, what you did)
I already know, I found out from him
(I already know, uh)
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be
(No chance, you and me)
And don't it make you sad about it

Cry me a river
(Go on and just)
Cry me a river-er
(Baby go on and just)
Cry me a river
(You can go on and just)
Cry me a river-er, yea yea

Cry me a river
(Baby go on and just)
Cry me a river-er
(Go on and just)
Cry me a river
(Cause I've already cried)
Cry me a river-er, yea yea
(Ain't gonna cry no more, yea-yea)

Cry me a river
Cry me a river, oh
Cry me a river, oh
Cry me a river, oh

Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)
Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)
Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)
Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)
Cry me a river, oh
(Cry me, cry me)
Cry me a river
(Cry me, cry me)
Julian

Roma is a club in Serie A. My favorite club, yes, but at times I simply have to mention them. I'm not going to try and explain the post, although based on the other comments here, my suggestion to you is to read it again without looking for bias. I think you totally missed the point.
Comrade

Another implied cry for attention by an Interista. Why am I not surprised?
Julian

Doubt it's Interisti, most of them are quite intelligent. I'd like to hope people don't read this post and assume it's praising Roma (In fact it's hyper-critical of them and journalism in general, a fact I hope comes across without reading this comment).
jorid22

LOL, click on his icon.

He's exactly what you doubt he is.

It's okay, no need to be so nice and pc all the time.
Comrade

Anyways, your readership must have increased leaps and bounds to attract all these negative comments :)
Julian

I must admit that out of the 15 here, I was rather shocked to find only one negative comment. Usually they're much better at finding bias where there is none.
GungaDin

Italian football is a disgusting joke, diving, complaining to the ref and flapping your hands about is a legitimate winning strategy.
Pauly

change the 'u' to an 'a' and 'D' to a 'B' in your name, you fruit loop.
Fnolimit504

[Edited by Julian] Now now, everyone is allowed their own opinion- Julian
Anon

Mmm hmm that's why we love it
Jose P

maybe you should submit a resume to Tuttosport. who needs authentic journalism when you can stir the waters with some creativity of your own.
Maryam1908

Please don't forget Messi to Inter rumors, these are always fun!
Haha funny write up though, and to think all these rumors started before the summer.
How will we entertain ourselves then?!
Fabio Bartolotta

Also, don't forget Delneri will leave juventus to go to Atalanta & Juve will get Van Gaal, Spaletti & Mancini for the bench
Pauly

Added bonus: they can dress Mancini as a center forward if injuries hit again!
jorid22

You forgot Conte, Deschamps and Lippi III.
Dani

ah ah ah best sarcastic take on Italian newspaper in ages. :)
but it's incomplete! obviously you're reading only italian/english report, or you'll know that fiorentina will share van basten with sporting lisbona next year!
(kidding!)
il_Tifosi

Julian I could not have put it better myself. The only thing worse than the NEWSpapers having no news is idiots who should know better constantly recycling it as fact. "Is it true Juve will sell Buffon and buy Berbatov?" HOLY SHIT ARE YOU SERIOUS? a) Why the hell would they & b) how the f*** would TS find out IN MARCH? *headdesk*