Lunch Break: Milan orphaned, Pulisic the captain; Juve land Dibu
A bittersweet menu at the table: while half of Serie A already has a coach and a sporting director, Milan are the only ones still half-laid, missing both. Meanwhile Juventus uncork the good starter, with “Dibu” Martinez a step away and the Carnevali era just getting going.
It is midday and Milan are still without leadership. According to Calciomercato.com, among the twenty Serie A clubs the Rossoneri are the only one left with no coach and no sporting director: an awkward record with the season around the corner. Explaining how the most advanced plan collapsed was Ralf Rangnick, who from Austria's training camp revealed his first contacts came “three weeks ago,” before things stalled because, he admits, “there was no clarity.”
Lunch at Casa Milan, though, is not all bitter. Gerry Cardinale — the portal reports — is rejecting transfer-market temptations and relaunching the project around Christian Pulisic, now Captain America and the designated leader; Weston McKennie echoes him, defending the American by noting that “when it matters” he is always decisive. On our board, meanwhile, the only truly done business is outgoing: Yunus Musah joins Atalanta, Patrick Cutrone moves to Wolves and Suso heads to Sevilla.
On the Turin axis the mood is the opposite. Juventus are accelerating and speaking Italian: with Giovanni Carnevali just installed in charge of the transfer department (signed from Sassuolo), the Bianconeri are now a step away from goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez, arriving from Aston Villa. In the background lingers the puzzle unsettling the dressing room, with McKennie himself confessing he “does not know what is going on”; meanwhile Atalanta, on top of Musah, secure young Sbravati from Juve.
Further east, Inter are nurturing midfield ideas but must be patient: Koné, linked with the Nerazzurri, cooled the talk while enjoying what he calls a “surprise World Cup” with his France, after “fearing he would not make it.” Elsewhere in Serie A, Domenico Tedesco has said yes to the Bologna bench, while Napoli release Allan to Everton and Roma reshape their flank with Çelik confirmed and Marcelo Vaz heading to Genoa.
Abroad, Barcelona are in charge and fishing bilingually: Nico Williams is incoming from Athletic Club, while a deal for Anthony Gordon from Newcastle is all but done. In Spain the carousel of names between Atlético and Real Madrid holds court, from Julián Álvarez to Alexander Sorloth, the latter now in Juve's sights. And to close with a smile, from Como goalkeeper Butez savours the break: “Here I am free, I decide how we attack, and Fabregas is the best.” Enjoy your meal.
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