This weekend sees the start of Serie A 23/24, a championship that has been taking steps forward in different directions, with new owners in important, financially strong teams, many other teams still relying on the local market and others looking outside Italy and attracting talent from European or South American leagues to which we will pay attention. As we did with Ligue 1, it is interesting to look at some of the signings made by clubs in each league to understand how the scouting departments move and how much risk they take in their investments and where they come from.
Gustav Isaksen: Midtjylland -> SS Lazio
A winger who mixes dribbling and finishing with assiduity and flair. It is probably a rare move between leagues and countries so different and perhaps it is difficult for him to adapt and make a difference against Serie A defences but his physical and technical conditions have proven to be of a higher level than in the Danish league. Very aggressive and vertical, he finishes a lot of plays inside the box.
Yann Aurel Bisseck: Aarhus -> Inter Milan
A similar scenario could happen with Yann Aurel Bisseck, a 22-year-old centre-back from Aarhus. A physically big centre-back (196cm) and very confident in the air (71% of aerial duels won in the last two seasons), he could need a significant time of adaptation and experience due to the difference in competitive level between the two championships and the way he defends.
El Bilal Touré: Almeria -> Atalanta
Although he played just over 1300 minutes in La Liga 22/23, Atalanta took notice of Nigerian striker El Bilal Touré and went all the way, paying over 30 million euros for him. His intensity, aerial dominance, energy and finishing potential suggest that he will adapt well to Gasperini’s style, as well as being a very important investment. At 21 years old, and in those 1300 minutes, El Bilal was able to score 7 goals in 29 shots, with a very high 0.19xG per shot.
Lucas Beltran: River Plate -> Fiorentina
One of the most coveted players in the South American market, Lucas Beltran already offered very interesting playing records, added to a good finishing potential. His style of play as a centre-forward augurs a significant margin of appreciation at a cost of only 12 million. Great play with his back to receive direct play or vertical passes between the lines, very good ball retention outside the box and remarkable effectiveness in finishing.
Mateo Retegui: Tigre -> Genoa
Italian nationalised for 2023, Mateo Retegui has been the leading scorer in Argentinian football in recent seasons. A specialist in moving in the final metres to finish and with a good shot, he is an interesting option. He is not a striker with a lot of quality to make his own moves or build away from the box, so Genoa will need to get to him in a variety of ways to find him.
Facundo Gonzalez: Valencia -> Juventus
Considering price and potential, he is perhaps one of the most interesting signings for the future in the Italian league this summer. Facundo Gonzalez was one of the most outstanding centre-backs at both the South American U20 Championship and the U20 World Cup, both played this summer. He is a very complete centre-back, with wingspan, good on-ball play, strength and positioning. He has shown he is ready for the top level, although he will have to wait for his time at Juventus or perhaps be loaned out to another club. Another promising left-sided centre-back from Cristiano Giuntoli, the man who brought Kim-Min Jae to Napoli last season.
Natan: Bragantino -> Napoli
Natan, a 22-year-old left-sided centre-back from Bragantino, was brought in to make up for the loss of the Korean, who joined Bayern. Natan stands out for his security and ball movement, as well as his large wingspan. However, his bulky physique could make it difficult for him to play in short spaces and to anticipate and correct against players and teams of a much higher level. A player very used to defending through dueling and speed, not so much through positioning and clearing.
Mohamed Kaba: Valenciennes -> US Lecce
Very smart move by US Lecce for potential, age (21 years), physical ability and player profile to develop in the short term and to be able to revalue in the future in a team or league with investment capacity. Midfielder who stands out for his route, ball recovery (64% effectiveness in the tackle) and strength in duels (62% of duels won), to which he adds a great goal-scoring rate (five goals without penalties and a 19.2% completion rate among all his shots).
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