1 post tagged hamsik

1. Thiago Silva (Current club: Milan. Alleged suitors outside Italy: Barcelona)

It was a breakthrough season for the Brazilian defender who emerged as the heart and soul of Milan’s first Scudetto in nearly a decade. As cool as Adriano Galliani’s forehead in a spring breeze, he never lost his composure once, even when asked to play as a makeshift midfielder. His hopes of retiring the Rossoneri’s number 33 shirt would certainly have a hollow ring if he moved elsewhere. The club is likely to move heaven and earth to keep a man they hope to build a new Champions League generation around. Chances of staying in Italy: 99 per cent.

2. Marek Hamsik (Current club: Napoli. Alleged suitors: Manchester City)

The skills of the Slovakian midfielder who looks like a spiky haired schoolboy have been well known for a while across Italy. It now appears that his vim and vigour is appreciated outside Serie A as well. Few players drive a team forward with more verve and it would be a shame to see him quit Napoli after guiding them to the Champions League. Students of the San Paolo know the team struggled when one of the members of their Holy Trinity of Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani was missing. They want to keep all three to maintain the promise shown this year. Chances of staying in Italy: 85 per cent.

3. Riccardo Montolivo (Current club: Fiorentina. Alleged suitors outside Italy: Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg)

With his “the club is not the same” comments, Monto appeared to burn his bridges with the Viola and set his eyes firmly on a move elsewhere. It could be to a Serie A rival but his German mother has given a Teutonic tingle to the transfer talk. He will always have his doubters but after surgery to a niggling injury this year he emerged once more as one of Italy’s classiest midfield performers. There are opportunities to keep him home soil but clubs may be reluctant to gamble on his fluctuating displays. Don’t rule out a Macchiavellian compromise and another year in Florence. Chances of staying in Italy: 70 per cent.

4. Wesley Sneijder (Current club: Inter. Alleged suitors outside Italy: Manchester United and Chelsea)

It was not a vintage year for the Dutchman after his heroics of 12 months ago but he remained a classy performer nonetheless. He was central to the Nerazzurri’s historic treble and it is hard to feel he has given everything he has to offer to the Italian market. It is difficult to see him moving anywhere else in Serie A since his current employers are about the best paymasters in the business. That could leave the door open to overseas temptation, especially as Inter look set to hire their fourth different manager since he joined them. Chances of staying in Italy: 50 per cent.

5. Alexis Sanchez (Current club: Udinese. Alleged suitors outside Italy: Just about everyone)

If El Nino Maravilla printed out his calling card at the last World Cup then he pretty much put a stamp on it and sent it out to all of Europe’s major sides this season. His pace, dribbling, trickery and goals catapulted Udinese into Champions League qualification after a miserable start to the campaign. Everyone at the Friuli seems pretty much resigned to losing him as their talent conveyor belt drops another finished article off the production line. If only he could light up Italian football for at least another season – it could give the division back some of the kudos it has lost. Chances of staying in Italy: 20 per cent.

Who do you think are the main stars Italian football needs to keep to help rebuild its global reputation? And, perhaps more importantly, who should it break the bank to sign?  What players would you like to see come and go at your club? Let me know via Twitter – @ginkers – or leave a comment below.