AC Milan and Inter are ready to contest a ‘mercato derby’ for the signing of Parma talent Giovanni Leoni, a report claims.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), Milan and Inter like Leoni for three reasons: he is young, already strong and Italian. These three qualities make him a prized piece on the market, so prized that he has triggered a summer derby between the Milanese clubs.
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However, Parma – who paid €4.8m (plus €3.5m in bonuses and a 10% resale) to Sampdoria last summer for Leoni – are standing firm. They are convinced that a further year of experience at the Stadio Tardini could increase his value even further.
But it is equally true that, in the context of an auction, even this summer a bid could arrive that would be difficult to say no to. How much? Certainly more than €20m.
Leoni derby
Inter, for their part, have the Cristian Chivu card to play. The Romanian is the coach who made Leoni an immovable starter at Parma, just when the team was playing for safety. A sign of esteem that, naturally, was particularly appreciated by the boy.
Among other things, the Nerazzurri (who also like Mosquera of Valencia) have already had the opportunity to discuss the defender with the Emilian club, just when the two sides were busy on the Chivu front.
In addition, on the Parma-Inter axis there is also the Bonny deal in play, with the striker who is one of the main names to reinforce the attacking department for the Champions League runners-up.
Milan, however, do not feel behind in the race, also because Massimiliano Allegri has already had the opportunity to speak about Leoni with Federico Cherubini, CEO of Parma. Sporting director Igli Tare is convinced of the qualities of the young centre-back.
The Azzurri factor
The Rossoneri see Leoni as the ideal profile to replace Malick Thiaw, who arrived in Milan as a promising youngster and is now sought after above all by Bayer Leverkusen. For the Parma defender, Milan sees the same path, with one important difference.
Being Italian, he can also become a pillar of the team for many years to come. Therefore, not a purchase suggested only by the logic of player trading, but also and above all to give the fans a player who can represent the basis of the Milan of the future.
For this to happen, however, the competition will have to be beaten, Inter above all. Without forgetting that Leoni has also been viewed in the past by other big clubs, including Juventus. A move that could soften Parma is to sign him now but loan him back for another year.
However, this is not a usual modus operandi for Milan in recent years, barring with Yacine Adli. Above all, it would not solve the problems in the defence that have cost the Rossoneri a lot in the recent past. Leoni would be useful right away and both Tare and Allegri know it.
Yeah, the only purpose we serve here is to make Inter pay more.
When I called for them to go and close the deal for either Coppola or Leoni in the beginning of June, I was called delusional because “mercato only just opened”.
Now Coppola is off to Brighton for 10 million and we’re about to engage in a bidding war for Leoni with Inter and his former coach Chivu. As good as gone, might as well go over Moncada’s old notebook for another foreign could be.
OK, maybe those agents know their clients’ preferred destinations and are working with those, maybe we never stood a shot with them and Coppola deal was agreed months ago and Leone has an agreement with Chivu to move with him if he has a chance.
It’s not like you plonk the money down and take the player’s contract.
Of course not but you at least try and open discussion with player’s representatives to see availability and establish a potential advantage.
Nah Ted we should give up before we even start lol 😅. Jokes ofc but yea some of our most insane deal for players Galliani just happened to call the agent or club on a whim. Similarly quite as few Inter deals have been done but them swooping in on us. Ibra for example
“Being Italian, he can also become a pillar of the team for many years to come.”
Too much optimism. At best he can be a great capital gain in the years to come. There’s no such thing as a pillar in redbird’s Milan.
Everyone has his own opinion I’m not convinced about this boy
Chivu being his old coach can mean only one thing: Moncada is going shopping in France again.
We need this names for our defense coming season
Hein
Gabia
Pavlovic
Leoni
Calafioli
Either pavlovic or calafioli can play left full back
Wen we meet a big teams,and also give bertasegi time to play more on the first team
The above names don’t need to settle in the league
And we can switch to 3 back or 4 back line at anytime
Add ricci and rovella in the middle,we don’t need xhaka ,modric is ok
Use the likes of bondo ,pobega, to lower ricci asking price
Use Ruben lotus check swap for rovella since sarri likes him
Chukwueze for orsorini
Sign chiesa
Sign lucca
Gift us jashari for surprise package
Fazzini for reidjnad replacement
Then we are good to good
Retain jovic at all cost
I would love something like this – actually make milan feel italian again!
Adli + Colombo + 5m for Leoni.