This article highlights three Premier League players who might be on the move this summer. It will analyse these players and how they could seamlessly integrate into Serie A teams, examining why they fit the profiles of certain clubs and the potential impact they could make in Italy’s top league.
Trevoh Chalobah
With the news yesterday that Chalobah is expected to leave Stamford Bridge, it’s almost déjà vu to AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori transfer back in 2021. Both are products of Chelsea’s exceptional academy, and both transfers were met with discontent by Blues fans. Tomori has seen much success in Italy and has since been joined by former teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek at AC Milan.
With Chalobah likely to move away, I believe that a move to Italy would be a great choice for the 25-year-old. Clubs such as Inter Milan, who operate a back three, could be keen on Chalobah, especially with Acerbi, Darmian, and De Vrij aging and all their contracts up at the end of the season. Inter Milan has been linked with a number of center-backs this summer, such as Udinese’s Jake Bijol and Chalobah is one they should consider.
As the data in the above graphs suggest, Chalobah, when compared to Darmian (who was the primary RCB for Inter last season), offers more defensive security with a higher percentage of duels won. Additionally, he provides a similar progressive output with more forward passes completed, although slightly fewer progressive passes and much less ball carrying. That being said, those who watched Chalobah as he rose through the Chelsea ranks know that ball carrying is a strong part of his game, especially when we compare the 22/23 Chalobah to Darmian last season (right-hand graph).
Below is Chalobah compared to two other center-backs that Internazionale has been linked with. It is clear that Chalobah would be an excellent fit for Inter, offering both good defensive security and solid progression, which are key to Inzaghi and his tactics. Read more on Inzaghi’s tactics here.
The deal will be challenging, though, as Chalobah will certainly attract interest from top sides in the Premier League. The fee itself will not be too high; I’d expect no more than €30 million due to this being pure profit for Chelsea, as Chalobah is an academy product. Where Chalobah will end up is anyone’s guess, but following in the footsteps of Tomori is certainly a possible option.
Máximo Perrone
Now, a very good friend of mine will hate this next segment because he believes Perrone is the second coming of Christ and would love to see him feature for Manchester City this season. That being said, Pep Guardiola has not stated his plans for the young Argentinian. However, reports from last month suggest Perrone will be loaned out again after impressing in La Liga for Las Palmas.
In Serie A, there are a number of teams in need of a defensive midfielder whose primary skills are playmaking and progression through passes. Atalanta is one of these teams, especially as they are set to lose Teun Koopmeiners to Juventus. Perrone, as an option on loan, would be a smart, cost-effective move for Atalanta. The graph below shows that Perrone demonstrated the ability to play for a team competing in European competitions. With Roma signing Le Fee, and Juventus bolstering their midfield with Thuram and Koopmeiners, Atalanta would be a good option
It would also give Perrone a good opportunity to learn the Italian game, which is quite different from La Liga. With another strong season out on loan, he could seamlessly slot into a City super team, especially with Phillips looking likely to leave and Kovacic not entirely suited to the lone ‘Rodri’ role.
While Atalanta may be a step too high for the 21-year-old, a loan move to Italy would certainly benefit him. Other teams lower down the table, such as Fiorentina or even Napoli, who lost star midfielder Zielinski, could be viable choices for Perrone and City as they look to loan out one of their upcoming stars. That being said, Perrone’s success in La Liga and Man City’s ties with Girona, as part of the City Football Group, make a loan to Champions League side Girona a stronger possibility this summer.
Sergi Reguilón
News came out yesterday that Reguilón, along with Bryan Gil, were not included in Tottenham’s training camp as they explore moves away. Reguilón has impressed during his loan spells at Manchester United and Brentford over the past season, and Spurs seem set on letting him go. With teammate Emerson Royal also looking likely to move to Italy, with strong links to AC Milan, Reguilón could also consider a move to Italy, a league in which he hasn’t played before.
Juventus is the team I have identified as a potential suitor for the Spaniard. Kostić has not impressed since his move from Frankfurt, and Cambiaso, while looking extremely promising, is still young and will need adequate support at left back. Motta is likely to implement his 2-7-2 ideology at Juventus, which would give Reguilón offensive freedom.
The graph above clearly shows that Reguilón statistically outperformed both of Juventus’s left-backs in crossing performance (a major issue for the Juventus side last season) and defensive actions— key aspects for next season as Motta is likely to revert to a back four.
With Udogie flying and Reguilón not in Ange Postecoglou plans, as well being available on the cheap- a move to Juventus would benefit all parties, especially with Juventus prioritising other positions such as a rebuild in midfield.
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