Born in Naples on 03/10/88, graduated in Philosophy and Politics from the Oriental University of Naples. He has been working for TMW since 2008, he was deputy editor for 10 years. Sent to follow the national team
Second ‘Transfermarkt‘The value of the Italy squad that made a good debut in Dortmund against Albania on Saturday evening is lower than that of England, France and Portugal, but also Spain, Germany and Holland. In this ranking, the Azzurri are only in seventh place among the teams in the starting line for Euro 2024, in ninth place if we broaden the scope beyond Europe. It is a fact to be taken with good approximation, not a mathematical law scratched in stone. However, it is a fact to take into account because even if we are ninth in the FIFA Ranking (seventh among European teams) due to a World Cup in which we have not taken part since 2014, it will still mean something.
We start as outsiders, even if we are the reigning champions, and this is not necessarily bad news. Far from it. Ultimately it is also the thought of Luciano Spalletti who on Saturday evening after the victory indicated the only possible way to achieve success: “You have to play football, otherwise there are teams of a higher level. If you go and play with the same things of the higher level teams they win.” Even though we showed at the BVB Stadion in Dortmund that we know how to handle the pressure after the worst possible start, Italy remains a young squad, under construction, which according to the head of delegation Buffon will reach its peak in 2026 when, hopefully, we will return to participate in a World Cup.
Returning to market valuations, the highest-rated Italian footballer with 80 million euros is Niccolò Barella who last week extended his contract until 30 June 2029. The first official move by Oaktree, the first step by president Marotta who in this way made the national team midfielder the highest paid Italian player in Serie A. A year ago, had Bernardo Silva left, he would have become the first target of Guardiola’s City . A year later he is instead part of that group of national team players who will watch the transfer market session with disinterest this summer. They are most, but not all.
The seven national team players who can change teams this summer
For Alex Meret Napoli has triggered the option to extend the contract until 30 June 2025. According to recent statements by his agent, the idea with the arrival of Antonio Conte is to stay. But everything will pass through negotiations for the renewal of the contract: there are no further options and without a new agreement (feasible, but not a given) it will not be possible to move forward together. He could join him in Naples Alexander Good morning, central defender and leading footballer for Torino. Urbano Cairo declares him untransferable one day and the next, but this is not making the Manna-Conte couple give up, ready to go up to 40 million euros to convince the Granata president to take a step back. It won’t be easy, also because Raoul Bellanova he sees this European Championship as a possible springboard to land in the Premier League (or at Roma).
Still on the subject of Naples: the position of Giovanni Di Lorenzo. There has been no acceleration from Juventus so far and Napoli, which considers him untransferable (but had declared it on the transfer market before Conte’s arrival) is carrying out the mediation work: the case may be resolved, but not he’s still back.
Riccardo Calafiori he is probably the player with the most at the moment hype of Italian football. The debut with personality against Albania has increased the regrets of those who could have bought him for 4-5 million euros a year ago and the number of interested teams: Juventus has a preferential lane, but today the 20-25 million euros unofficially offered by Cristiano Giuntoli are definitely too few.
The Juventus transfer man will also have to manage the case at the end of the European Championship Federico Chiesa. Not easy: he has another year on his contract, he is not essential for Thiago Motta, he asks for a salary from top players. All traces that direct him away from Turin. Finally there is Mateo Retegui: having landed in Italy thanks to Mancini’s call-up and Genoa’s costly investment, he is now eager for a further leap in quality. It’s Fiorentina’s idea, he hopes for some goals on German soil to increase the number of interested teams.