PAPER TALK - ITALY DOWN SWEDEN, Ibra underestimates Chiellini, Morata's agent visits Madrid
Beyond the good marks for Italy’s defence and Eder, the focus is on the transfer market, with Alvaro Morata’s agent visiting Madrid, but apparently only to talk to Real about fellow client Diego Llorente. The Corriere believes that meeting was about Morata, and that the Spaniard- who netted two in Spain’s 3-0 win over Turkey yesterday - is moving further and further away from the Bianconeri.
As an alternative, the talk focusses on Michy Batshuayi of Belgium and Marseille, but it is being reported that the Bianconeri won’t pay more than €25 million for him.
Fellow target Gabriel Jesus costs €30m, as a number of European clubs (including PSG and Real) are also enthusiastic about the Brazilian.
Juventus and Napoli are fighting tooth and nail for Pescara striker Gianluca Lapadula, though his president has already confirmed that “he’s going to Naples”. Lapadula wants to play, and Juventus wouldn’t be able to guarantee that.
It looks like the Bianconeri will have to go for someone else in attack, anyway: with UEFA’s new rules on ‘Home grown’ players, former academy graduates Ciro Immobile and Antonio Mirante are being scouted as alternative to Mario Mandzukic.
By the way, Primavera Coach and World Cup hero Fabio Grosso is edging closer and closer to promotees Crotone, whilst report after report is claiming that Giampaolo is on the up at AC Milan.
More transfers: Ezequiel Garay seems to have eyes only for Inter, whilst Iago Falque is considered very close to Torino.
The Corriere dello Sport, meanwhile, reminds everyone that it’s only the fifth time that the Azzurri have won their first two games at a major tournament. Who can we remember? Euro 2000, Italia 90, 2006 of course, Argentina ‘78, dang, what’s the other one?
Ibrahimovich is then quoted as saying that “Chiellini behaved correctly, otherwise he’d have ended up in hospital” Has he SEEN Chiellini play in recent times, or ever? Though we love him, the Juventus man really is Claudio Gentile’s heir. He’d throw a kitchen sink at you for accidentally straying onto his patch.
Otherwise, the Alexis Sanchez drum is being beaten again, as Juventus look for alternatives in attack.
Big news for Napoli: Atleti have a €60m + Matias Kranevitter offer for Higuain, whilst Roma Coach Spalletti is worried that the Giallorossi have yet to organize things in-house and plan transfers.
We end with Carlos Bacca, who has reminded AC Milan that he wants to stay, but also that he has offers, and that he “doesn’t know if Milan want to give me away”. Ah.
Beyond all the Italy coverage (The Gazzetta’s tactical analysis and Conte are always a good read, as are the Player Ratings- notice how the Corriere is higher on our midfielders than the other two), the Gazzetta focuses on two former spurned Interisti, Marko Arnautovic and Ricardo Quaresma, who face off in Portugal - Austria later on.
More Euro focus: the poor quality of the pitches has come under fire, as do Didier Deschamp’s France.
Inter are being linked to Francesco Acerbi of Sassuolo again, which is strange because a Sassuolo director recently said that the club would do everything to keep him.
Zanetti has a ringing endorsement for Antonio Candreva, calling him a “great player”.
We conclude with a couple of financial pieces: with Ron Koeman gone, Southampton are considering Rudi Garcia. Were the former Romanista to sign with them, he would free 10m in the Giallorossi’s books, allowing them to renew the likes of Strootman.
Torino are also the focus of an interesting piece: the club has no debts, and has now posted three profitable excercises in a row. Well done Urbano!
