Having raised the bar on the pitch last season, with the conquest of fifth place and the Champions League, Bologna is trying to do the same outside the green rectangle. The rossoblù challenge the big teams on the transfer market. Like a year ago, Sartori seems intent on starting from defense.
Having renewed Lykogiannis and with the intention of proposing a new contract to De Silvestri as well, Bologna starts by hunting for full-backs and a central defender, because regardless of what may happen on the Calafiori front, Soumaoro is out of contract and Ilic is still talented discover, not to mention a Bonifazi who could leave. Sartori and Di Vaio challenge Milan, Juventus, Inter and Lazio. For the right defense lane, as a pushing full-back the spotlight was on the Swede Emil Holm (24 years old), not redeemed by Atalanta and owned by Spezia. Inter like him in the event of Dumfries’ sale, Giuntoli and Juventus were already following him a summer ago.
There is also Bologna, thanks to Spezia’s interest in the under-20 national team striker Raimondo (9 goals in Serie B in Terni in the last championship). Spezia’s initial request of 12 million could drop to 8.5. For now, Bologna is negotiating the loan with redemption and Holm and Spezia have taken their time: if Thiago Motta and Juventus don’t snatch Di Lorenzo from Napoli they could go back to the Swede.
Bologna has the possibility of trying to burn the competition, but will not participate in auctions: on the right, Marcus Pedersen (25) of Feyenoord, fresh from relegation with Sassuolo, and Nadir Zortea (24), owned by Atalanta, also like. Even on the left, it’s a challenge to Juventus. But also at Lazio and Manchester United. During the renewal of Lykogiannis, Sartori met the agent Pagliari, who in addition to the Greek rossoblù represents the Albanian international Mario Mitaj (20), a left back born in Athens owned by Lokomotiv Moscow.
The agent was open to negotiations, which was also admitted by the Albania coach: “He can still grow a lot: in Russia as elsewhere”. For talent, Lokomotiv starts with a valuation of 10 million. More will be needed for Albanian striker Armando Broja (22) owned by Chelsea. With Pavlidis gone (25) and with Duran on whom Chelsea has turned the spotlight, Bologna has also directed their attention towards him: but there is also Milan, who have not yet resolved the commission issue with the agent of Zirkzee, is looking for alternatives, also because regardless he doesn’t discard the idea of not renewing Jovic and looking for two strikers. Returning to the left, Wolfe (23) of Az and Jurasek (23) of Benfica are also liked.
For the central role, Brest has set the price for Lilian Brassier (24) at 13 million: but even in this case, there are Milan and Marseille. But there is also Bologna, who in view of the Champions League is trying to challenge the big names in Europe for talent on the launch pad.
