The slots dedicated to non-EU footballers significantly influence the transfer market of the Serie A teams and, an example, is precisely what happened to Lecce in the summer of 2023.
The Giallorossi signed up first Ramadani (Albanian) and then Krstovic (Montenegrin), however the operation relating to the number 9 was slowed down by the stall in the sale of Ceesay to Saudi Arabia. In fact, the people of Salento no longer had free boxes for non-EU citizens and had to wait for the Gambian’s exit to be unlocked.
Lecce, a box for non-EU citizens is freed up
A slot in the house Lecce has been freed, it is the one previously occupied by Ylber Ramadani. The Albanian midfielder, however, is not leaving Salento. The novelty derives from a change in the regulation.
Serie A, Albanian footballers are no longer non-EU players
In the summer of 2023 the FIGC had decided to equalize the status of footballers from the EU and English ones. The same treatment is now reserved for Albanian footballers, who will no longer occupy the spaces reserved in the individual squads for non-EU players.
To make it official, a note from the Albanian Football Federation:
Lhe Italian Football Federation has decided that, starting from next season, it will consider Albanian players as local and not foreign. In relation to this very important change for the Albanian community in Italy and beyond, the AFL and in particular the President Armand Duka has always insisted on a meeting with the President of the Italian Federation, Gabriele Gravina, to reach an agreement on the matter.
Prime Minister Rama also made an important contribution to this decision, raising the issue during his government visits to Italy and in meetings with his counterparts in the Italian government. This decision will directly influence the activation of Albanian talents to compete on equal terms in one of the most important championships in the world.
