it's really simple. the italian attitude towards loanees in general is "don't play them if you do not benefit from it". surely it would not benefit parma getting gio, building their play around thim, just for us to take him back and leave them with a non-functional team. so by giving the option, the club at least has something from boosting the players form and playing him. we did the same with stendardo... loaned him out because we were in need, but never actually played him when everybody was fit.