Bari, days of "fire": a week to give Caserta the first certainties

Last week to beef up the squad ahead of the summer retreat. Seven days to try to give Bari a shape to shape: a difficult task because the work to be done on the red and white team is truly enormous. In the next few days, however, six will arrive: goalkeeper Matteo Cerofolini from Frosinone (he will sign a three-year contract), midfielder Riccardo Pagano from Roma (on loan with the right to buy), then the trio taken from Brescia, namely playmaker Matthias Verreth, centre forward Gabriele Moncini and right back Lorenzo Dickman (they will all sign a two-year contract with the option to renew for a further season), finally the 19-year-old attacking winger Emanuele Rao, bought from Napoli and sent on loan to the Galletti. But all the departments need significant additions.

GOAL AND DEFENSE Behind Cerofolini for now there is Marco Pissardo, although he has suitors from C (Arezzo above all,) while the third could be a youngster. In defense, no offers are arriving for Francesco Vicari, under contract until 2026: the 30-year-old Roman could also stay, but at least three more central defenders are needed, including a couple of quality ones. Both Gabriele Calvani, 21 years old from Genoa (returning from a loan at Brescia and on the road to Frosinone), and Alessio Guerrini, 21 years old, owned by Atalanta, in the last season in C at Crotone, have moved away. Among the emerging players, Antony Angileri (24 years old, from Monopoli) and Gabriele Pagliai, 23 years old from Picerno have been followed. It is obvious, however, that at least two guarantees are needed. Matteo Lovato, 25 years old, currently back at Salernitana, after his experience at Sassuolo, is liked. There is a broad dialogue underway with the Campania club that should bring Emmanuele Matino back from his loan at Cittadella and Ismael Achik back from his time at Cerignola, just as Bari is not losing sight of the possibility of taking back Giulio Maggiore. The flanks will also change: Mehdi Dorval seems destined to leave and a move from one of Cagliari and Sassuolo is expected. Alessandro Tripaldelli will probably go to C. They like Tommaso Cassandro, 25, from Como, as well as the former Giacomo Quagliata (biancorosso in 2018-29) who has returned to Cremonese at the end of his loan: both were under Fabio Caserta at Catanzaro. They are also interested in right back Marwane Kritta, 23, from Lecco: a permanent arrival is being discussed. Obaretin could return but Empoli also likes him.

MIDFIELD Mattia Maita and Ahmad Benali are under contract, but not irremovable: if the right offer were to arrive, they could also leave. From last year's midfield, Nunzio Lella could be seen again: dialogue is open with Venezia to acquire the entire contract of the 25-year-old mezzala. Other ideas lead to Aldo Florenzi, 23, from Brescia, as well as Edoardo Iannoni, 24, from Sassuolo: mezzali with pace and quality already tested in Serie B. In recent days, there has also been talk of a possible return of Leonardo Benedetti, 25, probably destined to leave Sampdoria: with the Galletti he was a great protagonist in 2022-23.

ATTACK With the switch to 4-3-3, at least four attacking wingers and three centre-forwards are needed. For the first striker, there are many ideas: from Luca Moro, 24 years old from Sassuolo to Luca Pandolfi, 27 years old from Cittadella. A new chance for Nicholas Bonfanti (who returned to Pisa) cannot be ruled out, while it does not seem easy to get Gianluca Lapadula (35 years old, from Spezia). Among the free agents, Christian Gytkjaer, fresh from his experience at Venezia, is intriguing, but the Dane is 35 years old and would eventually have to drop significantly from the salary parameters perceived so far. In the background there is also the suggestion of the return of Walid Cheddira who is returning to Napoli after his move to Espanyol: if he were not to find a place in Serie A, the Bari hypothesis (in the heart of the 26-year-old Moroccan) would not be so far-fetched, especially because a move to other teams from the Casetta team would seem paradoxical (Empoli and Monza are being talked about). And speaking of tempting paths, keep an eye on Guglielmo Mignani, a 22-year-old young centre-forward who has revealed himself at Pianese: he is the son of Michele who in red and white achieved promotion to Serie B, almost making the double jump to Serie A. Daniele Montevago, a 22-year-old powerful centre-forward from Perugia, has also been followed several times. It is essential to stock up on offensive wingers: negotiations with Fiorentina are well underway for Filippo Distefano, 21, coming off an unrewarding year at Frosinone due to a serious injury. Negotiations are underway with Atalanta for the loan of the talented 19-year-old Dominic Vavassori: constantly followed by the Galletti transfer market men. Finally, there seems to be no hesitation about Giuseppe Sibilli: the new coach Fabio Caserta wants to focus on the 28-year-old returning from his loan at Sampdoria. The Calabrian coach sees him as a left winger in a 4-3-3 or as an attacking midfielder in the event of a switch to a 4-2-3-1.