New Year’s resolutions for every Serie A team heading into 2022
By Frank Risorto
Welcome to 2022 and another year of Italian football.
2021 had it all and who could’ve predicted what would happen. I tried, got a few right (Italy, European Champions!) and got a few wrong, which we won’t speak of.
So, let’s try again keeping it short and sharp, and of course nothing too serious, with a one sentence New Year’s resolutions for each Serie A side.
I’ll leave it for you to decide whether my resolutions are reckless and as usual, in true New Year’s resolution style, none of these will happen.
Atalanta
Transition Roberto Piccoli and Jeremie Boga into the starting side in preparation to saying goodbye to mainstays Robin Gosens, Luis Muriel and Josip Ilicic at seasons end.
Bologna
Extend the contracts of Aaron Hickey, Mattias Svanberg and Nicolas Dominguez and make the call on the future of Sinisa Mihajlovic.
Cagliari
Keep a clean sheet, something they’re still yet to do this season.
Empoli
Finish the season in the top ten, higher than Sassuolo, and find a way to fend off any interest in Samuele Ricci.
Fiorentina
Prepare to play Champions League football next season, without Dusan Vlahovic.
Genoa
Hope that new owners 777 Partners bring stability to the club on and off the field as they continue to integrate their homegrown players like Andrea Cambiaso, Nicola Rovella, Yayah Kallon and Flavio Bianchi into the side.
Inter
Clear the wage book at the end of the season saying goodbye to Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal and Aleksandar Kolarov and sending Joaquin Correa on his way back to Rome.
Juventus
Find a buyer for Aaron Ramsey and locate money anywhere, between the lounge cushions, EXOR or in Pavel Nedved FIAT’s boot to enter, but ultimately fail, the Erling Haaland discussions, as Juventus need help up front as soon as possible.
Lazio
Keep Maurizio Sarri happy whilst cashing in on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto in the summer.
AC Milan
Don’t get sucked into purchasing, even if it’s on a free transfer, that ‘big name’ player when they become available as Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG etc clear their deadwood.
Napoli
Find a new local homegrown star … no pressure Gianluca Gaetano.
Roma
Support and endorse Francesco Totti’s campaign to run for Mayor of Rome in lieu of support for their new stadium and if that fails remind Jose Mourinho it’s not 2010.
Sampdoria
Look at extending the contract of Mikkel Damsgaard and get him back to full fitness asap.
Salernitana
Prove to their fans that their season isn’t over by aiming to finish on 20 points.
Sassuolo
Work out what which one, or all, of Gianluca Scamacca, Giacomo Raspadori, Maxime Lopez and Davide Frattesi they’d like to cash in on and sell in the summer.
Spezia
Maintain their Serie A status, that’s it.
Torino
Try to permanently sign Tommaso Pobega and prepare for life post Andrea Belotti by shocking the football world and signing Julian Alvarez from River Plate.
Venezia
Continue to scour North America market for more gems like Gianluca Busio.
Hellas Verona
Whatever Igor Tudor is doing with Giovanni Simeone, Gianluca Caprari, Antonin Barak, Darko Lazovic, simply keep it up.
Udinese
Find a way to make Beto their long-term number 9 and ensure he doesn’t end up at a certain London club next season.
