Calls for change: Serie A back to old transfer window system?

As the summer transfer window rapidly approaches its deadline on August 30, the pressure on European soccer clubs is intensifying. This summer’s transfer business has been less frantic than expected, but the final days promise a flurry of activity. In Italy, Serie A clubs are navigating a particularly chaotic landscape as they prepare for an exciting season. Yet, the uncertainty of the transfer window looms large. The situation has sparked debate and frustration among managers, players, and officials. Consequently, there are calls for changes to how Serie A operates the transfer window.

Traditionally, the Italian top flight used to kick off in September after the transfer window had closed. However, due to the increasingly crowded calendar, the league has started earlier in recent years. The season now begins in late August. This shift has created a challenging scenario where teams start their campaigns with rosters that could change dramatically in the final days of the transfer window. Players might feature in one or two games only to be sold shortly after. Teams are scrambling to find replacements at inflated prices as the clock ticks down.

Atalanta’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, expressed his frustration with this situation after his team’s opening match of the season. “Keeping the window open during matches is madness. Nobody likes it, neither the fans nor those inside the game”, he said. Gasperini has been with Atalanta for eight years and has seen many top talents leave the club. Thus, he’s particularly concerned this season as they face the loss of key players like Teun Koopmeiners and Ademola Lookman.

Current situation not helping other Italian teams

In addition, Roma has been grappling with the potential departure of Paulo Dybala, their most creative player, especially following a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah. Although Dybala ultimately decided to stay in the Italian capital, the possibility of losing such a key player so late in the window created significant anxiety for the club. The situation underscores the broader issue of the transfer window overlapping with the start of the season. Teams are vulnerable to last-minute disruptions.

Meanwhile, Napoli, another Serie A giant, have also had their summer transfer plans disrupted by ongoing player sagas. The club has been dealing with uncertainty surrounding star striker Victor Osimhen, whose future has been the subject of intense speculation all summer. The Nigerian striker is still an important piece of the puzzle, even if his previous season was dull. However, no European club has been willing to meet his hefty buyout clause. This stalemate has hampered the Partenopei’s efforts to strengthen their squad under new manager Antonio Conte.

Call for reform in Serie A: Closing transfer window before season

The chaotic nature of the summer transfer window has prompted calls for reform from various quarters, including from Gabriele Gravina, President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Gravina has proposed closing the transfer window before the season begins, a move he believes would reduce tensions between players and clubs. “Starting the season while the market is still open generates tensions that we cannot tolerate,” he stated in a recent press conference.

Gravina plans to meet with UEFA and other European officials. There, he can advocate for this change as a “shared path” across all major leagues. He emphasized that this is not just an issue for Italy, but one that affects football across Europe. For the FIGC’s position to be effective, Gravina acknowledges that it must become a majority view within UEFA. “I will have meetings in UEFA and try to involve my colleagues from other federations to undertake a shared path, which can give stability to the start of the sports competitions,” the 70-year-old added.

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