Offseason Moves 2012

Ok the offseason has begun so let's gte the discussion on player and coaching moves going. We already discussed a few moves away from Milan at the end of the Serie A 2011-12 thread but let's start by repeating those here.

Leaving Milan are Nesta, Inzaghi, Gattuso and van Bommel. There is a good chance Seedorf will be joining them. Coming in are midfielders Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) and Bakary Traore (Nancy). Chievo's centerback Francesco Acerbi looks likely to be moving to Milan too but his transfer is not yet confirmed.

Today Inter confirmed the signing of forward Rodrigo Palacio from Genoa, the Argentine was the 5th top scorer in the league this just concluded season.

Alessandro Del Piero as we all know is leaving Juventus. His destination is currently unknown.

On the coaching front Eddy Reja has stepepd down at Lazio even after leading the club to 4th place and the Europa League.

Zambrotta is pretty much certain to leave Milan this summer too. They'll surely be a new look to next season's much younger team. I hope the Acerbi signing goes through as Milan need talented young Italian defenders.

Palacio is a good signing for Inter. He and Milito should make a good tandem.

Inter renewed Stramaccioni's contract. That was the right thing to do, look how well he did when he came in under adverse circumstances.

After leading Pescara to promotion to Serie A, it looks like the always entertaining Czech, Zdenek Zeman will become Roma's next coach. He and Totti have a good relationship so that will help and Zeman coached there in the late 90s. Roma should be pretty fun to watch next season as Zeman's teams are always attack minded.

Ezequiel Lavezzi is leaving Napoli and will sign with PSG. He will leave a big hole in Napoli's attack.

Vincenzo Montella leaves Catania and will become the new coach of Fiorentina. Based on his work in the last half of 2010-11 with Roma and all of 2011-12 with Catana, I think Montella is a good choice. But he has some work to do with the rebuilding Viola.

Sebastian Giovinco, the Atomic Ant, is going back to Juventus as they bought him back from Parma. I expect he will play somewhat the same role that Del Piero had last season but I think Conte would be smart to give him more playing time than Del Piero had last season.

Seedorf did join the other veterans in officially announcing his departure from Milan and one of the departing players, Gennaro Gattuso has ended up signing with Sion in Switzerland, quite a comedown for Rino and a sign that his skills really have deteoriated.

Juventus have made a good signing acquiring the Chilean wing back/midfielder Mauricio Isla from Udinese. A good business deal for udinese too as they sold him for 18.8 m euros! Isla also blew his knee out in February so I would think he may not be exactly ready by the start of the new season but once healthy should be a good signing, unfortunately, for La Vecchia Signora.

Inter have officially let Lucio go, I am curious where he will end up, obviously age is catching up to him but now that he is older he no longer roams upfield like he once did and when he concentrates just on defending he can I think still be a useful defender.

And good news for Milan fans as Thiago Silva signed a contract extension. Barcelona, PSG and others can now keep their hands off him!

Inter have officially let Lucio go, I am curious where he will end up, obviously age is catching up to him but now that he is older he no longer roams upfield like he once did and when he concentrates just on defending he can I think still be a useful defender.


Aaaargh, Lucio is leaving Inter to sign for Juventus! It won't reach the Figo leaving Barcelona for Real Madrid proportions but the anger amongst interisti will be big. It sure is with me.

Lucio is a smart man, he is signing with a club going places, Juventus! In addition to Mauricio Isla, Juve also are acquiring Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah from Udinese, a midfielder. It is early but I like the summer acquisitions so far by Juve, Lucio, Giovinco, Asamoah and Isla, each strengthens the team. A teenaged centerback Alberto Masi also joined the team this summer from 3rd level Pro Vercelli but i expect he'll likely be loaned out.

Tony, you are going to not recognize Inter next season, they've lost Forlan too, in addition to Lucio as Forlan leaves for the other Inter, Internacional of Brazil (ironically Lucio's old club.) Stankovic likely will be moving this summer too and the club are not bringing Julio Cesar, although still under contract, to preseason training! Instead they have signed Udinese's excellent goalie Samir Handanovic. Inter, as already mentioned, also signed Rodrigo Palacio from Genoa and are adding Matias Silvestre from Palermo.

Interisti will be really be upset if Lucio's improvement after joining Juve in any way resembles that of a certain Sig. Cannavaro, who was truly awful while in Milano.

Not happy to see Lucio going to Juventus. They do seem as libero notes, to be making some good summer signings. They probably need them as next season they will have to compete in Europe too, something they did not have to do this past season on their way to the scudetto.

I am quite fearful that we are entering a new era of Juventus dominance in Serie A, with the result that the entire "3d star" debate may well be moot within two seasons.

Unfortunately your fears seem to have some basis in fact with both Inter and Milan each trying to rejuvenate their respective teams (oops, no pun intended there!)

Maxi Lopez is going on loan to newly promoted Sampdoria. He probably will be a good signing for them, he just does not seem quite good enough for the big clubs he's been with (Barcelona, Milan) but he thrived at Catania and I think can be a good goalscorer for Samp too.

Sounds like a good outcome to me!

I have no doubt last season Juventus greatly benefitted by not having any European obligations, so unlike all of their major competitors for the scudetto, Juventus only played one match a week for most of the season. They won't have that luxury this year and in fact will be obligated by the club's tradition to do well in the Champions League. This is why they are strengthening their roster. But it is far from a certainty that Juventus will become the dominant club in Serie A. Milan, Inter and maybe even Lazio, Roma and Napoli will challenge them in this coming season's scudetto race.