On September 2, at 11pm (in Italy), the summer transfer window closed. Let's take stock: at a glance, Serie A seems by far more competitive than the previous season. That is because, unlike previous seasons, during this summer Italian clubs re-invested most of the money gotten from English and French clubs.

 

With the tremendous Cavani deal, Napoli earned €64 M. A huge amount, that president De Laurentis invested for Gonzalo Higuain (in theory, Cavani's substitute), Raul Albiol (defender) and José Maria Callejón (offensive midfielder). All of them came from Real Madrid. And it's not over: in the city of Vesuvius came Dries Mertens as well, a Belgian left wing forward, for €9,7 M.

 

Fiorentina fans aren't so upset about Stevan Jovetic's departure (€26 M), considering that la Viola took home the German striker Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich for “only” €15,5 M, Josip Iličič from Palermo (€9 M) and the young Croatian forward Ante Rebić for €4,5 M.

 

Except for Alessandro Matri, who joined Milan, and Giaccherini (Sunderland), Juventus did not need to sell. The defending champions reinforced the squad with Argentinian Carlos Tevez from Manchester City (€9 M), the Spaniard Fernando Llorente from Athletic club de Bilbao (free agent), and the Italian defender Angelo Ogbonna from the rivals of Torino.

 

Roma's transfer market has been quite strange. With three painful sales, the Giallorossi scraped together €75,5 M. An amount that's been (partially) re-used for midfielder Kevin Strootman from PSV Eindhoven (€16,5 M), central-back Mehdi Benatia from Udinese (€13,5 M) and the Serbian offensive midfielder Adem Ljajić from Fiorentina for €11 M. Defense has been reinforced also with goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis from Napoli and Maicon from Manchester City.

 

After three months chasing Japanese CSKA forward Keisuke Honda (who ended upstill playing in Russia), Milan sold Kevin Prince Boateng to Schalke04 for €10 M and finalized two important last-minute signings: Kakà from Real Madrid (a comeback after six unforgettable seasons from 2003 to 2009) and forward Alessandro Matri from Juventus for €12 M. During the summer, the Rossoneri made another good deal signing the young and promising midfielder Andrea Poli from Sampdoria for €3 M only.

 

At Inter, uncertainty on the future (president Moratti is about to sell his block to the Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir) did not allow for rich investments. Nerazzurri signed two young forwards spending €13,5 M only: Mauro Icardi from Sampdoria and Ishak Belfodil from Parma. Another young talent that will wear the black and blue jersey is Saphir Taider, a 21 year-old midfielder from Bologna. Inter’s most effective addition, however, might end up being Hugo Campagnaro, signed as a free agent from Napoli, who knows Mazzarri’s tactics like no other player, having played for the coach in the last six seasons.

 

Most expensive signings in Serie A: the top ten

1- Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid- Napoli) 37M

2 -Kevin Strootman (PSV- Roma) 16,5 M

3 - Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich - Fiorentina)15,5M

4 – Mehdi Benatia (Udinese- Roma)13,5 M

5 – Angelo Ogbonna (Torino- Juventus) 13 M

6 – Raul Albiol (Real Madrid- Napoli) 12 M

7 – Alessandro Matri (Juventus- Milan)12 M

8 – Adem Ljajić (Fiorentina-Roma) 11 M

9 – Dries Mertens (PSV- Napoli) 9,7

10 – José Maria Callejón (Real Madrid – Napoli) 9,5 M

 

Thanks to our reviewer John Cavenaghi