With Hellas Verona’s excellent first half to the season providing plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the followers of the Gialloblu, there is little pressing need to strengthen in January.
Obviously, it would be a bonus to bring in some new players if they can add something to the side but the main priority for the Mastini has to be to keep their best players and not disrupt a squad in form.
Elsewhere, young starlet Juan Manuel Iturbe had a worrying looking car accident in his native Paraguay on December 28 whilst on his Christmas holidays but he and his companions were fortunately unhurt and his future will be one of the main issues in Verona’s transfer policy.
Potential/Definite Ins
The area of the Scaligeri’s squad that appears most in need of reinforcing is the defence. Despite the side taking up an impressive sixth position in the table, only four teams have conceded more than Hellas this season.
A central defender is the priority and coach Andrea Mandorlini is believed to be interested in Inter’s 27-year-old Italian Marco Andreolli and sporting director Sean Sogliano has started work to see if he can bring him to the Bentegodi. The Nerazzurri are thought to be willing to let Andreolli go as he has hardly featured this season.
However, the Mastini face competition from city rivals and Andreolli’s former club Chievo who are also interested in the defender. An alternative is Lazio’s veteran 34-year-old Brazilian defender Andre Dias who has been linked with a January move to either Verona or Sassuolo.
The club will probably want to bring in a striker to ensure they do not become overly reliant on the goals of Luca Toni as current strikers Daniele Cacia and Samuele Longo are yet to impress. However, as it is only the January window and as Verona do not necessarily have the funds or prestige to lure in big-name players it is hard to identify suitable targets.
It’s up to the wily Sogliano and his colleagues to try and find an experienced, proven and affordable goalscorer, and that is a tough ask. But, they displayed that they are capable of doing so when they signed Toni. Now they will look to replicate that for his understudy.
Potential/Definite Outs
A possible out could be Icelandic midfielder Emil Hallfredsson who has made more than 100 league appearances for the club but could be off in January as the club look to bring in a transfer fee rather than allow the 29-year-old to leave on a free in the summer.
The Mastini have reportedly valued Hallfredsson at €400,000 with Atalanta, Parma and Udinese interested but the player has said he would like to stay although contract negotiations have broken down for the moment.
Cacia is in a similar situation but Verona are thought to be willing to renew his deal. Another possible departure is Samuele Longo whose lack of appearances has led parent club Inter to wish to move on the youngster to a side where he can pick up more match experience.
The clubs main assets who are garnering attention from across Europe are undoubtedly Jorginho and Juan Manuel Iturbe. However, the Gialloblu should be able to hang on to the jewels in their crown before presumably allowing them to leave in the summer unless a crazy offer comes along in January.
President Maurizio Setti has announced that they will work to keep them both till the end of the season before allowing them to leave in a manner that is mutually beneficial. Iturbe’s situation is further complicated as his future is out of Verona’s hands with Porto his parent club and there has been talk of a summer move to Roma.
Many of the fringe players such as Simon Laner, Daniele Ragatzu, Matteo Bianchetti and Jacapo Sala have been linked with loan moves or free transfers to various Serie B sides.
Expectations of Transfer Window Activity-
Verona have been doing fantastically and as a result there is likely to be little activity in January as they are trying to put off the big decisions until the end of season. The priority will be to keep Jorginho and Iturbe until the summer and the signs are that this will happen.
One of Verona’s assets in recent seasons has been a sense of continuity and stability and so wholesale changes are unlikely as they could prove counter-productive. One or two reinforcements may come in to strengthen the attack and defence but they will presumably not be the big signings that capture the imagination.
Verona play exciting counterattacking football and what they have achieved has delighted their fans and it would be hard to do anything in January that will improve on what Mandorlini and his players have already done.
