The transfer market has officially opened yesterday, July 1st. Bari, now complete in terms of technical staff, is intent on replenishing the players. A meeting is scheduled for Saturday 6th at the San Nicola Stadium for all registered players, including those who, owned, have played their championships on loan at other clubs. In this regard, the call-ups are awaited since they will indicate the names of the players who will leave for the retreat, after the interviews and normal medical visits that will be carried out until the morning of July 10th. The team is scheduled to leave for the retreat in Roccaraso in the afternoon of the same day. It is very likely that some players will not be called back to base since the sporting director, Magalini, together with his valid assistant, Valerio Di Cesare, have been working, since before the official start of the transfer market season, on possible permanent transfers or loans. These will certainly be players who do not consider themselves useful to the cause for which alternative solutions have already been put in place.
As reported by the Passione Bari Radio Selene newspaper, this is the case of Daniele Celiento who, protagonist of Bari’s promotion to Serie B, was loaned to Casertana last season. The sports director is working on a definitive solution for him towards Benevento. A solution that could include an exchange through the return of Ilias Koutsoupias, who would like to return to Bari, fresh from recovering from the injury suffered in the ranks of the red and whites. Another negotiation in transfer is the one involving Moussa Manè, former player of the red and white youth team who has accrued little playing time in the first team in Serie C and was, last season, at Recanatese. He is being negotiated for a loan to Altamura. The same newly promoted team of Alta Murgia has also shown interest in Andrea D’Errico. Solutions are being evaluated for Schiedler, Simeri and the under Colangiuli and Lops. Achik and Morachioli will certainly play their cards in training camp, also by virtue of the module used by Longo, the 3-4-2-1 or the 3-4-1-2.
As a reference for the transfer market negotiations, the rumors concern information recovered from the Passione Bari Radio Selene newspaper. For the incoming players, the negotiation for Costantino Favasuli, a 2004-born wing midfielder, owned by Fiorentina, who wore the Ternana jersey last season, seems almost certain. He should arrive in Bari through the loan formula with the right to buy and counter-buy. Also very likely is the arrival of Lorenzo Sgarbi, a 2001-born second striker, owned by Napoli, who wore the Avellino jersey last season; he should occupy the role of wildcard in attack. Bari is also working on the loan of Mattia Compagnon, a right winger owned by Juventus, who played for Feralpisalò last season. Manuel De Luca, a 1998-born central striker from Sampdoria, is also being evaluated, with which team he only has one more year of contract. As for the defense, they continue to probe for Marco Curto, central defender born in 99, owned by Como, for whom they could sink before the retreat. Most likely, the central defender Nosa Edward Obaretin, who last season was in Trento on loan, could arrive in Bari, via Napoli.
Giuseppe Ambrosino, Napoli’s 2003 class centre forward, seems instead to be inclined to stay with Vivarini and therefore follow him to Frosinone, after his time in Catanzaro. Alberto Cerri, 1996 class centre forward, owned by Como, seems to have had no contact from Bari and would like to stay in Serie A. Alessandro Bianco, 2002 class centre forward, formerly of Reggiana, owned by Fiorentina, should not leave the Tuscan team.
As for the more complex negotiations in attack, Bari is focusing on a top-class striker, Pedro Mendes, Portuguese from Ascoli, from whom the club from the Marche wants to capitalize as much as possible, given the team’s relegation, and would therefore like to negotiate only for a definitive transfer and not for a possible loan. His market value is more than one million euros and the striker has attracted interest from many teams, including: Sassuolo, Palermo, Verona and Cosenza. Another hot name is that of Tommaso Fumagalli, a central striker born in 2000 owned by Como, who Bari had already liked since the days of Serie C during which he played for Giana Erminio. The Larian club seems intent on letting the striker leave only on loan. As for the Partipilo issue, it is very difficult for it to be outlined before his retirement; the Parma-owned striker from Bari is liked by Empoli, but he would be willing to go down a category just to play for the team of his hometown, obviously with a salary close to the one Parma is offering him and on a permanent basis.
Surely before leaving for the retreat, Bari will need to have a starting goalkeeper. So Mirko Pigliacelli, Palermo goalkeeper born in 1993, remains in pole position for the coveted role, having shown his appreciation for the Apulian capital, but competition for his purchase remains alive from Catanzaro, Pisa and Spezia. Alternative profiles are: Nicola Leali, Genoa goalkeeper born in 1993, who has been sounded out along with Adrian Šemper, Como’s Croatian goalkeeper born in 1998. Semuel Pizzignacco, Feralpisalò goalkeeper, could represent an investment for the future, being born in 2001. The rumors about Micai, Cosenza goalkeeper, have not evolved.
Many are the names of footballers who have been proposed to Bari: Sydney Van Hooijdonk, a Dutch central striker born in 2000 and owned by Bologna, and Gabriele Calvani, a central defender born in 2004 and owned by Genoa, on loan to Pontedera last season.
Many others, however, are the profiles that the Bari entourage is evaluating: Filippo Distefano, second striker born in 2003 for Fiorentina, on loan to Ternana last season, and Simone Ianesi, left winger born in 2002 for Udinese, on loan to Pontedera last season; Kevin Bonifazi, central defender born in 96, owned by Bologna, is being courted, but the player seems to be looking for a transfer in the top division.
Certainly, some negotiations should be unblocked this week for the goalkeeper and for one of the two pieces expected for the attack. (ph. Tess Lapedota)
Tess Lapedota
Published on July 2, 2024
