We need a player in the final third who can dribble, beat a player, produce a moment of magic. That has been sorely lacking since DP left the fold. Pirlo and Pogba are our best dribblers! Giovinco hasn't come good (yet). I would happily see Mirko sold, while we can still get some value for him. LLorente must be close to guaranteed a good chance of starting whenever fit and available, without such an assurance he would have signed for another, better paying club.
(In our 3-5-2)
This leaves one spot open to Giovinco, Vucinic, Matri, Quagliarella. (Iaquinta, Anelka, Bendtner all gone)
I would expect two of the list to leave. Most likely Quagliarella and Matri, although I'd rather see the other two leave.
As to who will arrive in their places...Personally I would like to see Muriel and Gabbiadini. Leaving us with-
Muriel, Llorente, Giovinco, Gabbiadini, Matri.
Ideally, but this surely will not happen, mainly due to our sour relations with the fiorentia president, we would purchase Jovetic, sell up a few and leave our strikers as the following-
Muriel, Jovetic, Llorente, Gabbiadini, Matri, Quagliarella.
In midfield...we are fine. Although I wouldn't roar with rage if Marchisio left the squad, for 20-25m. If that allowed us to get the forward line above, I'd be very happy indeed. Asamoah should be given a chance as a central midfielder. As well as he has done, he is not a specialist left wing back and his greatest assets are shown when he is playing at CM. Other than a second striker of true class or potential class, the ONLY position we surely must improve is at LWB where we are playing a CM and have Peluso as back-up who is at times solid, but often limited by his lack of technique.
We need a LWB/LB. Why not bring in Laursen from the youth team to deputise? Too young most likely. Regardless LB is the only true problem position in the team alongside the lack of real quality in our attack.
IN-
Llorente (ST) Free
Jovetic (SS/ST) 30m
Muriel (SS) Our 50% of Boakye valued now at 6-8m + another player or 7m
Gabbiadini (ST) the value of the 50% we purchased last summer was 5.5m, which has probably risen a little, so we will need to pay maybe 7-9m for his remaining 50% to Atalanta. (Probably best to forget about Troisi, of whom we still own 50% also, he has hardly played for them)
Kolarov? (LB) 10-15m
Total spend- 30m+7m+9m+10m = 56m(although we will/can probably exchange other players for Gabbiadini's remaining 50% meaning the net spend would be 47m. And Udinese were interested in Boakye so we could give them our 50% of him which has increased to surely 6/7m...taking our net spend down to 40m)
OUT-
Iaquinta 0
Anelka 0
Bendtner 0
2 from Matri, Quags, Vucinic - 15-20m
Caceres could also leave, as he has played barely 10 games...8-10m (I want him to stay though, a true warrior)
Fausto Rossi - 3-5m
Immobile (50%) - 3-5m
De ceglie 1-3m
Net revenue 43m
I won't bother factoring in the potential Claudio sale, he isn't anywhere near as coveted as Vidal and I can't see us selling either player. regardless of the bid. I have not taken into account the other co-ownerships we will likely renew/ enter into/ send to a blind auction to resolve/ sell our remaining 50%. A few more million there overall.
I cannot see any of our players, co -owned or otherwise coming to the senior squad other than Gabbiadini and possibly Masi. We really do not need much in terms of renovation. If (amongst our youth) we had an ace regista and quality LB and wonderful strikers, it would be a different case. As it stands, Boakye needs testing at Serie A level, Manolo has done okay, certainly looked brighter than Immobile, whose 50% we will surely sell this summer.
As for promotions from youth...Masi and Leali have done very well in Serie B. Leali will get a Serie A club. Perhaps Masi can do the same, and earn his spot. Neither are ready for Juve. Nowhere near. Appelt and Buoy need longer. Boakye needs games so should be used as a makeweight or maintained as a co-ownership.
Some very interesting moves will be made from out of our primavera...Bonatini, Padovan, Beltrame, Branescu, Rugani, Magnusson, Garcia, Kabashi, Ceria, Pepic, Cevallos??? All will be farmed out, or co-owned.