I think we're going to sign Cavani. I also think that Elia will be our starting RW next year after he's been through the Conte machine. In my head I'd like Cavani, Asamoah and Kolarov (and Veratti?). That all gives us:
Buffon
Lichtsteiner Barzagli Chiellini Kolarov
Marchisio Pirlo Vidal
Elia Cavani Vucinic
QUOTE]
I hope you are correct about Elia - It would be awesome if he became better at defending and positioning while running and pressing as much as Pepe - But I highly doubt that would happen. IMO Elia will never become that type of player, and if Conte were planning on using him next season, he would surely had been introduced more.
Elia is soon to be gone.
I also believe that Conte are looking to make the 3-5-2 his primary formation, so if we are buying another attacker besides a CF - hopefully Cavani - we will sign a SS or similar player to Vucinic who can play SS and on the wings too when shifting to 4-3-3. Elia - and Krasic for that matter - are out and out wingers.
That said, I think our mercato will be (not taking all the deadweight into account):
Attack:
Buy: Cavani/Higuain AND Destro/keep Boriello
Sell: Matri/Quaq and DP:-(
Midfield:
Buy: Asamoah and Verratti/Pogba
Sell: Pazienza
Defence:
Buy: Astori/Ogbonna/Dede and maybe also a new LB/LWB Santon/Armero/Digne