This is the 4th article in a series where we discuss some transfer news coming out of the Serie A that has gone under the radar of fans worldwide. In this article we talk about some big transfers between Serie A clubs, as well as some Premier League stars moving to Italy.
Gilmour and Perrone set for Serie A
In an article and TikTok I posted a month ago, I stated that “a loan move to Italy would certainly benefit Perrone.” Now, a month later, Manchester City’s promising young holding midfielder looks set for a loan move to Cesc Fabregas’s Como side.
The 21-year-old Argentine has struggled to secure first-team football with the Cityzens, despite encouraging cameos during the club’s American pre-season tour. Perrone will hope to learn from his new manager, former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, and will likely develop his game further under one of the most underrated midfielders of the last 20 years. A move to Italy and a new league will also aid Perrone’s development, following a successful loan spell in La Liga. The holding midfielder showed promising signs with Las Palmas during the 2023/24 season, raising questions as to whether City would retain him for the 2024/25 season. However, the return of Ilkay Gündogan and the emergence of James McAtee as first-team options for the Blues have made Perrone available for loan this summer.
Perrone is expected to be one of three incomings at Como, alongside Sergi Roberto, who joins as a free agent after leaving Barcelona, and Alex Paz, who is on a loan deal from European champions Real Madrid. Following their 3-0 defeat to Juventus on the opening weekend, Fabregas will hope that the additions of both young talent and experienced players can help Como avoid dropping back to Serie B.
Another Premier League star who looks set for an Italian move is Billy Gilmour. The Scotsman is following in the footsteps of many Scottish players who have graced Serie A, from legends like Graeme Souness to current players such as Lewis Ferguson and Josh Doig, who play for Bologna and Hellas Verona, respectively. After a promising few years in England, playing for Chelsea, Norwich, and Brighton, Gilmour has emerged as one of Scotland’s best players in recent times. The 24-year-old is now heavily linked with a move to Napoli.
A reported €18 million fee for the Scotsman has been agreed, with a medical allegedly set to take place early next week following Brighton’s fixture against Manchester United. After a strong Euro 2024 campaign, where Gilmour received most of the plaudits when he played, despite Scotland’s performance. Since then there has been speculation about whether his future lies at Brighton, especially with reported Brighton interest in Matt O’Riley (also linked with Atalanta). A move to Italy now looks likely, and joining a club as big as Napoli is definitely a step up.
Following a 3-0 defeat on opening day to Hellas Verona, and with manager Antonio Conte stating, “Napoli finishing 10th last season isn’t a coincidence. Whoever thinks it was just bad luck is far from reality,” Napoli needs to make moves in the transfer market. Gilmour is the perfect option to fill the gaping hole in midfield left by the departure of Piotr Zielinski. This is a good move for Napoli. Gilmour has impressed at every team he has played for, and at only 24 years old, as well as with a reasonable fee, he could be just the player to help Conte turn around Napoli’s decline.
Atalanta at the forefront of big transfer news
Atalanta have had a hectic few weeks, with the departure of Teun Koopmeiners now resonating like a sore note as the saga between Atalanta and Juventus drags on. No deal has been reached between the two sides, and Koopmeiners is still refusing to train. Alongside losing Koopmeiners, Atalanta and Gasperini now face the issue of losing star man Ademola Lookman, who has handed in a transfer request amid interest from PSG as well as Arsenal and Liverpool. This is a huge blow for Atalanta, losing their two best attacking players. Lookman, who looked like the real danger man against Real Madrid, will be difficult to replace no matter who they bring in—if anyone. The only positive is the high fee Atalanta will be able to demand. Combined with the imminent loss of Koopmeiners, Atalanta needs to find replacements for both.
However, it’s not all bad news for fans of the Nerazzurri, as they have made some excellent signings so far this window. Defensively, they’ve secured two important additions: Ben Godfrey from Everton and the superb wing-back Raoul Bellanova. These two signings, for moderate fees, have added much-needed support at the back. Bellanova, who has been superb at right wing-back for Torino, looks set to become Italy’s next top right-back. Offensively, he is excellent and represents an instant, younger upgrade on Davide Zappacosta.
Ben Godfrey joins from Everton, looking to improve on his last few seasons in Merseyside blue. He is set to feature in a back three, a role that should suit him perfectly as a right-sided, wider center-back. He made his debut last week in the UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute. He impressed when he came on and had the chance to score on at least three big occasions.
Moving further forward, Atalanta has already signed replacements for Koopmeiners—twice! The signing of Marco Brescianini on loan from Frosinone is already proving to be a great decision. Following a superb brace on opening day against Lecce, his overall performance has given Atalanta fans much to be excited about. The other, more ‘marquee’ signing is Lazar Samardžić. The Serbian midfielder joins from Udinese on a loan deal with an obligation to buy under certain conditions.
Having impressed at Udinese, Samardžić is best utilised as a right-sided 8. His preference for operating in the right-sided half-spaces, along with his ability to drive with the ball, cut inside with his left foot, or support his right-sided attacker, makes him perfect for this Atalanta side. He can also play as a No. 10 or as a second striker, which will further help him make his mark at Atalanta, especially with Lookman typically being used as a second striker—a position Samardžić could take. This is a statement signing from Atalanta. With many clubs across Europe chasing the Serbian’s signature, he will almost certainly make an impact, especially given the departures of Lookman and Koopmeiners.
Finally, the permanent signing of Charles De Ketelaere is an added bonus following his superb season in an Atalanta shirt. In addition to this, the bolstering of the attack with Mateo Retegui, who featured for Italy in the Euros and impressed for Genoa last season, adds much-needed strength in the forward line, especially with Scamacca sidelined due to an ACL injury.
Atalanta has arguably had the busiest transfer window in Italy. Despite the likely loss of their two stars from last season, they have reinforced and strengthened the team well, and for a good price. The signings of Godfrey, Bellanova, and Samardžić are particularly intriguing, and I’m eager to see how Atalanta performs, as well as any additional signings they might make once Lookman and Koopmeiners depart.3
Dybala stays
I was dreading writing this section. I was convinced that Dybala, one of Serie A’s most entertaining players over the last 10 years, was set to leave for Saudi Arabia. But thankfully, he stays. We get to enjoy this incredible player for another year in Italy. The combination of Soulé and Dybala— I might start fanboying. Grazie, Dybala.
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