Today’s top Serie A clash between Milan and Napoli is also a duel between two teams who’ve shined in recent transfer windows.
Both teams were hard at work in the summer transfer market, looking to add the right elements to their squads in a bid to take the top spot in the table. The Rossoneri’s work was a little more understated over the last few months but no less impressive than Napoli’s rejuvenation project, with the two teams navigating the choppy waters of the window well.
As highlighted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, both clubs have benefited from the work of their sporting directors, Paolo Maldini for Milan and Cristiano Giuntoli for Napoli. The former worked hard to continuing adding talented youngsters to the team, whilst the latter worked to revitalise the squad after key figures of the old guard departed.
Milan’s transfer market strategy is clear – young and talented players on low wages in low-cost deals. Recent examples of this include Pierre Kalulu, Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Sandro Tonali, and this summer they spent a little more for Charles De Ketelaere.
Napoli worked to add some fresh faces to a new-look team, lowering the wage bill from €115m to €75m whilst also adding younger options like Kvara Kvaratskhelia, Kim Min-Jae and Giacomo Raspadori. The Partenopei have focused on their scouting and initial indications suggest that this has paid off.
Napoli had a great transfer market, there’s no denying that. Only weird piece of business was Ndombele probably.
Meret has been very good so far but maybe that’s one area which could hurt them this season.