RISING VALUE: MILAN, LAZIO, WEST HAM FIGHT FOR SASSUOLO STRIKER ANDREA PINAMONTI
Andrea Pinamonti's consistent scoring has made him a top January target. We analyse the transfer battle between AC Milan, Lazio, and Premier League suitor West Ham.
According to Calcio Mercato, Andrea Pinamonti is drawing a lot of interest in the transfer market. The Sassuolo striker is hitting his stride as his skills, experience, and timing all come together. At 26, he's a proven forward, scoring consistently in a league where good number nines are hard to find.
Pinamonti's current season proves that. His goals and solid play are helping newly promoted Sassuolo have a great first half, improving their chances of staying up. Calcio Mercato notes, Another season, another confirmation.” Pinamonti, along with Domenico Berardi and Armand Laurienté, is part of a well-balanced and strong attack, but it might not last much longer.
Prime Years and More Responsibility
Born in 1999, Pinamonti is said to be entering the prime of his career, a period of full maturity. ” His personal growth appears to be aligning with his career, leading to more responsibility and better performance. Despite a minor injury, he’s already scored four goals in 14 Serie A games, which is impressive given the league's tactical challenges.
Sassuolo doesn't have to sell him since his contract runs until 2027. Coach Fabio Grosso trusts Pinamonti as the main attacker, and he’s delivered. He understands space, timing, and what it takes to succeed in Italian soccer—skills that are valuable beyond Serie A.
Transfer Market Pressure
Not surprisingly, his form has gotten attention. Calcio Mercato reports that “the Italian is hotly contested in the transfer market and could change teams as early as January: Lazio and AC Milan are after him in Serie A, and West Ham in the Premier League.” Any deal would likely start with a loan, followed by an option or obligation to buy, showing both his growing value and the cautious approach.
Pinamonti’s value has increased since his successful loan at Genoa, where the option to buy was set at €15 million. Now, with more goals under his belt, there are more teams interested. West Ham stands out, especially since they need more firepower during a tough season.
West Ham and Italian Ties
Calcio Mercato paints a grim picture of West Ham, calling it “a very difficult season and a historic moment.” Since Potter was replaced by Espirito Santo, there have been some improvements, but goals are still hard to come by. With Fullkrug likely leaving, they need a dependable striker.
Pinamonti could be a good fit. The report says, “In London, they’re reportedly looking at Pinamonti, reviving a tradition of Italian strikers in claret and blue that stretches from Di Canio to Scamacca.” That history is important at West Ham, where fans like forwards who have grit, smarts, and personality.
The competition is tough. Lazio and AC Milan also see Pinamonti as a solution to their own attacking problems. Milan, in particular, wants a reliable number nine who knows the league well. Whether Pinamonti moves in January or June, his next step feels important.
RADJA NAINGGOLAN SLAMS NAPOLI’S SCOTT MCTOMINAY AS "JUST AVERAGE" IN TV RANT
Radja Nainggolan has sparked controversy by calling Napoli's Scudetto winner Scott McTominay "average" in a scathing TV interview.
Scott McTominay’s journey from Manchester United to Napoli has been wild. He’s helped the club win a Scudetto, snagged a Ballon d’Or nomination, and his goal tally is impressive. But not everyone’s sold on him. Even with all those honours, one Serie A legend isn’t convinced. Radja Nainggolan slammed him as just “an average player".
After McTominay’s £26 million jump from Old Trafford in 2024, he took off. He won the Serie A MVP, clinched Napoli’s fourth Scudetto with a spectacular overhead goal against Cagliari, and made a big mark in Italy. Still, Nainggolan, never shy with an opinion, tore into him during a TV interview. Despite McTominay racking up 26 goals in 76 games and getting a Ballon d’Or nod, Nainggolan didn’t hold back. “I don’t like him,” he said on Sky Calcio Unplugged. “He gets his goals, 12, 13, 14 a season, but his general play? He doesn’t have the technique to move between the lines. He’s just average.”
And he wasn’t content to leave it at that. Nainggolan compared himself to today’s names, arguing he was better than both McTominay and Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu at his best, though he admitted Nicolo Barella sits above him. “At my peak, I was better than McTominay and Calhanoglu, but Barella is on another level,” Nainggolan said. “He doesn’t always score a lot, but when he does, it matters, and you always feel his presence on the pitch. I like De Bruyne, too; he sees things nobody else does. He’s above me, and Modric...he’s always been world-class.”
Of course, Nainggolan’s take doesn’t really jibe with life in Naples. McTominay has become something of a hero there; his face is on murals around the city, the fans have dubbed him ‘McFratm’ (McBrother), and he helped Napoli win the Supercoppa Italiana in December 2025. Even if Inter seems ready to grab the Serie A crown back, McTominay’s reputation hasn’t dipped. His knack for scoring from midfield has been crucial for Conte’s side.
Nainggolan also touched on Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” and why they didn’t deliver a major trophy, despite stars like Lukaku, Hazard, and De Bruyne. He knows the team well, having made 30 appearances before retiring after he got left out of the 2018 World Cup squad. “We had Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne, and Courtois. Too many superstars, too many egos,” Nainggolan said. “Everyone wanted to be the star, to be the most important guy, and that just doesn’t work.” His take pretty much confirms what fans suspected: there was plenty of talent, but not enough unity.
MANCHESTER UNITED AND CHELSEA ENTER RACE FOR DISCOUNTED €50M-RATED RAFAEL LEãO
Discover why Rafael Leão’s value has plummeted at AC Milan and which Premier League clubs are leading the race to sign him.
Just a year ago, everyone was buzzing about Rafael Leao and his rumoured €120 million move to Chelsea. Fast forward to this summer’s transfer window, and it looks like AC Milan’s ready to let him go for nowhere near that amount. Manchester United, along with a few others, are circling, hoping to get him for much less.
Last week, Gazzetta dello Sport broke the news: Milan now values Leao at just €50 million. That’s a wild drop, especially since six months ago they slapped a €100 million price tag on him.
So what happened? Why did his value tank so quickly?
Perception plays a big part. Leao’s estimated transfer value hasn’t actually changed that much. FootballTransfers’ algorithm had him pegged at €72.5 million last July, and now he’s at €70.7 million. But Milan’s own estimate? That’s fallen off a cliff.
Last summer, Milan wanted €50 million above the algorithm’s number. Now, they’re ready to accept an offer that’s €20 million below it.
Leao once had everything going for him in Milan. In the 2021/22 season, he carried them to the Scudetto, racking up 11 goals and 10 assists. Clubs were fighting over him, and in 2023, Milan rewarded him with a hefty €7 million salary and a massive €175 million release clause. That’s when top European clubs started sniffing around for a record-breaking deal.
But the new contract didn’t spark another big season for Leao. In his next campaign, he scored 15 goals and managed 14 assists, but fans started to turn, especially after two weak outings against Roma in the Europa League.
Things haven’t improved since. Early in the 2024/25 season, Milan benched him for disciplinary reasons, and he seemed pretty unfazed, something that sparked more criticism. He’s had some public clashes with head coach Max Allegri, too. Despite still being Milan’s top scorer, he hasn’t scored in two months. And the fans? They’ve booed him at home games, most recently against Juventus and earlier against Udinese.
Now, Milan looks ready to move on. Leao’s raw talent is still obvious, but at San Siro, the excitement has faded. SciSports, the data analytics folks, show his performance is in “significant decline” based on their SciSkill rating. Still, they think he can bounce back.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan plans to hold off until the World Cup, hoping Leao puts on a big show for Portugal and builds hype again.
He’s still got admirers. Arsenal’s been keeping tabs on him, FootballTransfers said back in February. Chelsea, Liverpool, and United are all in the market for a left-sided attacker and would jump at the chance to grab a rejuvenated Leao.
Sure, the €120 million rumours are a thing of the past. But the old Leão, the top-class player, is still in there somewhere. He just needs the right club, coach, and a fresh start.
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