Winning treble with Atalanta in first season has it headaches, now everyone wants a big pay raise in 2nd season
I had to give frigging Gollini 135k salary just to keep him quiet, couldnt afford to buy a new goalie after buying bunch of others. Sold Gosens for 76m (58m direct, rest bonuses), too good to not to, but he was so ace for offensively, 16 assists as left back is amazing. Bought Real Madrid Mendy in desperation when everyone else I went for wanted either too big salaries (Grimaldo, Telles), or chose other destinations. Mendy is good, but he doesnt have the offensive attributes Gosens had (originally a winger), more of defensive physical fullback. Sold Castagne too, tho cheaper, 28m, just crying too much and refuses to sign new contract when his is expiring. Loaned Reece James from Chelsea.
I basically I have an entire new defence except Hateboer and VanHuedzen. Meunier, Bastoni, Cetin and Caldara back at their clubs after loan (Caldara refuses to accept my contract offer despite cheap buy option). Two left backs sold etc. Had already sold Palomino, Djimsti and Toloi in first season (as soon I signed freebie Savic for 2nd season gave up on the older CBs). New loanies in Firpo and Pellegrini too (before I thought I could get Mendy, I panicked after selling Gosens and Castagne lol). Kehrer for 33m was decent pickup.
Best capture by far is ofcourse Tonali for this new season (Talles Magno too, this kid is ace, and other personal favourite in Fabio Silva). Biggiest random signing is ofcourse me buying Oxlade Chamberlain for 38m. Seems quality and versatile, tho maybe not the type of playmaker I need at CM.
I'm good at signing young top or promising talents for the future that arent ready to perform yet (except Magno and Esposito): Cherki Unuvar, Esposito, Armini, Riccardi, Marco Molla, Vignato, Tramoni, Magno, Andre Anderson, Lazaro, Florent Da Silva, Nohan Kenneh.
Plus Atalant has couple of in house talents that are good 16-17 year old Adam Traore (bitch wants to leave for Liverpool or Spurs), few more years older excellent depth options in Melegoni and Bettella.
But maintaining this massive pool of talents wont be easy, and I'm bit short budget wise to improve the squad with players that ready to compete now instead of just young developing teens (with sales I been available to buy all these youngsters, but for more ready players, can afford their transfer sum but not necessary the salaries they ask for). Hence why I went with alot of loans, or random buys like Oxlade, Mendy (I panicked when I thought Grimaldo had accepted but he delayed me and got greedy).
Biggiest faux pas is signing Callejon on free transfer for this season, he seemed like a good idea at January despite being 33, but he joins my squad and my coaches doesnt even think he is good enough to be on the bench lol.
P.S Future project, besides replacing overpaid Gollini with someone better (tho was top 2 in best goalies in europe after our season), is to offload enough deadweight reserves (in this summer 79 players came back from loan LOL), so I can afford Chiesa next season before a top club signs him.
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Btw didnt even mention the best signing of first season, Ikone from Lille (the PSG youth Juve were after couple years ago). Oh man was he a bargain at 14m. He scored 21 goals, 16 assists, and one of those goals? An overtime 112th minute dribbling raid and sweet finish, in CL final against Liverpool. Jesus that was clutch.