Genoa supporters are about to enter one of their most dreaded periods of the season, the winter mercato.
Year in and year out, Genoa’s board have made it a mission to disrupt and alter the squad during this festive period. Despite the current lack of realistic transfer gossip surrounding the team, there’s still a good chance five, six or seven players will join the team with a handful of players leaving.
Last January saw Genoa import eight new players. Those eight did help the club secure safety, but with Genoa doing well enough this season there is no real need to overhaul the squad. Regardless, there will be some change and hopefully the board will add a few pieces to the puzzle rather than build a new one all together.
Potential/Definite Ins
In recent days Genoa have been reportedly speaking with Roma over the status of midfielder and wing-back Marquinho. The Brazilian could be a ready replacement for Naples bound Luca Antonelli. Roma’s willingness to let the Brazilian leave will come down to their own transfer activity.
Marquinho may in fact be a plan B for Genoa’s original transfer target Cristian Rodriguez of Atletico Madrid. The left winger may be a long shot for the Grifone as no agreement between the clubs or the player have been reached.
Rodriguez would provide Genoa with the playmaking width that they actually already have in spades. Genoa’s desire to sign the Uruguayan seems a little strange due to the club already having capable wingers in the form of Ioannis Fetfatzidis, Adrian Stoian and Ricardo Centurion.
The trio of Fetfatzidis, Stoian and Centurion, luxury playmakers to say the least, have been given very few chances to shine. Fetfatzidis, the “Greek Messi,” has received the most playing time appearing in 13 games. Though he has never played a full 90 minutes shows Gian Piero Gasperini doesn’t fully trust the youngster.
Meanwhile, Stoian has shown flashes of brilliance in his five substitute appearances for Genoa. Unfortunately, Stoian hasn’t played since October 20 and it seems more likely Genoa will add another winger instead of giving the Romanian or Centurion a chance.
With the club linked to Rodriguez and Marquinho, it could still be a Genoa old boy that is re-signed in the shape of Giuseppe Sculli instead. The current Lazio man hasn’t played for the club this season and seems to be in the same boat as Matuzalem before he left the capital club for Liguria last January.
Sculli has had two previous spells with the Grifone with the last being a loan-spell in the spring of 2012. The Italian can definitely get the job done, though fitness will most likely be a problem at this point. Regardless, Sculli will be another good veteran to have in the locker room.
Potential/Definite Outs
Currently, two players look to be definitely on his way out of the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, and that is the previously mentioned left-back Antonelli and summer signing bust Francesco Lodi. Antonelli looks set for an €8 million move to Napoli to help solidify their back four. Along with the €8m, Genoa are likely to gain the rights to Alessandro Gamberini and possibly Emanuele Calaio. Of the two, Gamberini is the better of the deal and has shown his worth already this term.
While Antonelli will be an unfortunate player to lose, Lodi will not be; and many Genoa supporters will glad see the midfielder leave. Lodi has alread agreed a return to Catania and released the news via his Twitter account.
Lodi was only been with Genoa for a mere six months, but that time saw the former Catania man struggle to reproduce the same form that made him so sought after. Several teams reportedly expressed interest in the playmaker, but his poor form – and Catania’s – seem to be the real reason he is headed back to Sicily rather than Milan, Istanbul or another locale.
What needs to happen?
The player most rumoured to exit the Marassi this mercato is Alberto Gilardino, a player the club cannot afford to lose at this point. Gilardino is finally paying off the transfer fee Genoa paid to get him from Fiorentina two years ago.
The striker was heavily linked to Canadian team Toronto FC, but that move doesn’t look as likely as it did two months ago and it if he does leave, could leave for a top Serie A team fighting for a European place. Gilardino has been in fine form and his seven goals have been the difference between Genoa sitting midtable and being in the relegation zone.
The most important thing for Genoa to do in this mercato is to withstand the urge to sell Gilardino while finding another striker that can augment the Grifone’s attack. Lodi’s two goals were second to Gilardino’s seven and for the team to continue their upward climb they must score more goals.
Genoa have tallied 17 goals this season and it’s vital they find away to score more. Keeping Gilardino and adding another capable striker (not Calaio) is important for survival in 2014.
Follow Drew Farmer on Twitter: @CalcioFarmer. Drew is a Forza Italian Football Features Editor and Genoa Correspondent. He also hosts the Forza Italian Football Club Focus Podcast.
