Eight Serie A Newcomers to watch in 2017/18
by: Claudio Perfetto
With the transfer market officially closed in Italy, we can now look at some of the signings that were made, particularly those of players who never played in Italy before. Although Serie A lost some key players like Keita Balde Diao and Mohamed Salah, there was also an influx of talent into the league. Milan made a bunch of signings, while Juventus brought in big names such as Douglas Costa and Blaise Matuidi. Inter also contributed by bringing in two fullbacks in Joao Cancelo and Dalbert. This article takes a closer look at eight Serie A newcomers to watch in this upcoming season. They are in no particular order:
Jordan Veretout (Fiorentina) - Veretout is a central midfielder who was brought into Fiorentina to help with the departures of Vecino and Valero. He made 43 appearances last season on loan to Saint-Etienne in all competitions, scoring four goals. He is a former France youth international, representing the country through the under-21 side. He was a standout in the 2013 Under-20 World Cup, where he played in a midfield with Geoffrey Kondogbia and Paul Pogba. He scored a penalty in the final to help France win. He is a good passer of the ball and is strong at set pieces. He will look to form a partnership with Fiorentina newcomer Marco Benassi.
Lee Seung-Woo (Hellas Verona) - Lee was signed to Barcelona's famous La Masia youth academy after he caught their attention by finishing top scorer in the 2010 Danone Nations Cup, an important youth tournament. He is an attacking player; it will be interesting to see how he plays in Serie A after very little experience. We know Barcelona holds him highly as they retained a buyback option in the deal with Hellas Verona. At Verona, he will have the opportunity for playing time and can really begin to make his mark at the professional level.
Dalbert (Inter) - Inter needed depth at the fullback positions, and they obtained that by signing both Dalbert and Joao Cancelo. Dalbert is a left-back who made 37 appearances last season for Nice in Ligue 1 and the Europa League. He is a very strong defensive player, but he can also get forward due to his strong dribbling and passing ability. He might increase his assist numbers this season by playing in crosses to lethal front man Mauro Icardi. The player will be determined to get off to a good start in Italy as he very publicly proclaimed his desire to join Inter.
Benedikt Howedes (Juventus) - Juventus made a few flashy signings from outside of Italy this year such as Douglas Costa and Blaise Matuidi, but a key one is Benedikt Howedes. With the loss of Leonardo Bonucci, the German's experience may be essential to the bianconeri's success. He is a World Cup winner, so is no stranger to big matches. He is also a versatile player as he can play in the center of defense and as a fullback. With the departures of Bonucci and Dani Alves, his versatility could come in handy to cover when Barzagli or Chiellini need a rest or if they need a more experienced player in the lineup than Rugani or Mattia De Sciglio. He is very strong defensively, has great ball interception skill and has a concentration that makes him so reliable.
Lucas Leiva (Lazio) - To fill the hole left by Lucas Biglia, Lazio signed another reliable midfielder named Lucas. Lucas Leiva has been linked with a move to Italy for some time, and he finally got his move this transfer session. He is a dependable midfielder, who is strong at both intercepting and creating passes. He will be able to help Simone Inzaghi's squad control the tempo from midfield, and his experience is unmatched. He only made 12 appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League last season, so a change was needed. Serie A is a very tactical league, so he will be able to rely on his knowledge and could be a very solid addition to the Italian league.
Hakan Calhanoglu (Milan) - Milan made a ton of new signings this summer, four of which have never played in Serie A. They are Mateo Musacchio, Andre Silva, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Ricardo Rodriguez. Calhanoglu is the most interesting to watch because he is going to be put in a key position for Milan. Milan needed to be revamped, which is why they made so many signings; however, if there was one area that was in particular need, it was the midfield. Over the past seasons when Bonaventura went down, Milan was lacking a creative presence in the midfield. Calhanoglu could bring that to the table. He is great at getting the ball off the ground, whether it be with his long shots, aerial passes and crosses, or set pieces. He is a technically gifted player and will be key to providing service to Andre Silva, Nikola Kalinic and Patrick Crutone. For Leverkusen last season, he made 19 appearances in the Bundesliga and Champions League, scoring 7 goals and creating 7 assists. Milan will be hoping for that sort of impact.
Cengiz Under (Roma) - Another Turkish international, Under is a very exciting player. The 20-year-old made 32 appearances last year for Turkish club, Basaksehir, helping the club to a second-place finish and qualification to the Europa League. Mohamed Salah's departure to Liverpool has left a creative void for Roma, and Under might just get the opportunity to fill it, as he impressed in the preseason. He is a youngster who will need time to adapt to a big club like Roma, but "the Turkish Dybala" is a typical Monchi signing and could be one of the surprises of the season.
