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.
TIRED OR TOUGH? THE CONFLICTING ITALIAN MEDIA REPORTS ON SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S PERFORMANCE
Scott McTominay and Napoli suffer Champions League elimination after a 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea's clinical Joao Pedro.
Scott McTominay had a rough night as Napoli crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday. The reigning Serie A champs missed out on a play-off spot after losing at home to Chelsea.
It was a wild night in the Champions League, and Napoli ended up as one of the biggest letdowns. Even with home advantage against Liam Rosenior's team, they only managed to finish 30th overall. Chelsea, on the other hand, walked away with sixth.
McTominay, along with Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund, couldn’t stop Napoli from falling 3-2 in Naples. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring, but Napoli hit back before halftime thanks to Antonio Vergara and Hojlund.
But after the break, Joao Pedro bagged a brace and sealed Napoli’s fate. The Italian press didn’t hold back in their reviews of McTominay’s performance.
Il Napolista gave McTominay a 6 out of 10. They liked his grit but pointed out he lost possession a few too many times in midfield. Still, they said he was a threat going forward—enough to give Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez something to worry about. But in the end, it just wasn’t enough for Conte’s side.
Il Messaggero also gave him a 6. They called his first half “average”, even though the game was played at a high level. After halftime, they thought he looked tired and didn’t live up to his usual standards.
Corriere dello Sport was a bit more generous with a 6.5. They praised his fighting spirit—classic Premier League style—and said he gave it everything he had. But as Serie A’s current MVP, expectations are high, and he just couldn’t find the goals Napoli needed.
Essere Partnopei matched that 6.5 rating. They praised his energy and said he was as active as ever, moving the ball well. Still, his efforts couldn’t keep Napoli from being knocked out.
Napoli Magazine skipped the ratings but said McTominay wasn’t at his best. He’s a key player for Conte and stayed committed, but it wasn’t enough to push Napoli into the next round.
"DON'T JUMP SHIP!" — ANTONIO CONTE’S EXPLOSIVE WARNING TO NAPOLI STARS AFTER JUVENTUS ROUT
Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund fail to fire as Juventus crush Napoli 3-0. Discover Conte’s defiant post-match reaction.
Napoli just fell nine points behind in the Serie A title chase after Scott McTominay and the rest of the squad took a heavy 3-0 loss against Juventus.
The defending champs barely put up a fight at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. Juventus looked sharp, closing the gap with Napoli to just a single point. Right now, Gli Azzurri sit fourth with 43 points, Juventus are right behind on 42, and Inter still lead the pack with 52. If Antonio Conte’s side wants to catch up, they’ve got a lot of work to do.
McTominay played the whole match for Napoli but couldn’t change the game. Frustration was obvious for the visitors. Rasmus Hojlund, on loan from Manchester United, struggled again and didn’t make much of a difference up front. While his parent club edged out Arsenal 3-2 in London, Hojlund missed two decent chances in Turin. He hasn’t scored for Napoli since late December.
Romelu Lukaku finally got back on the pitch after his injury, but with just 12 minutes left, the result was already settled. Juventus were two goals up—Jonathan David bagged the first, Kenan Yildiz added another, and Filip Kostic finished things off near the end with a third.
Napoli are still missing another Scot, Billy Gilmour, and creative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is out hurt as well. Next up, Chelsea comes to Naples on Wednesday night. Napoli really needs a win to stay in the hunt for a Champions League play-off spot.
Conte faced up to the defeat but made it clear Napoli aren’t about to give up on the Scudetto—even with all these injuries.
Conte didn’t sugarcoat things:
“As long as it was 1-0, it felt close—like we might grab a draw,” he said. “But after their second goal, things opened up, and then they scored a third. Credit to them, but also to my guys. There’s not much to say or criticise. Even here in Turin, they gave everything.
“Sometimes you get past these obstacles, sometimes you don’t. For the first time in my career, I had to bring on a player [Giovane]. I’d never even seen him in training—a kid who just joined us Saturday. That tells you something about what we’re dealing with right now.
“But we’re not quitting. We know the situation, and we’ll keep pushing. It feels like we’re out at sea in a storm, but we’re not bailing. If someone wants to jump ship, fine—they can swim to shore. The rest of us are staying on board, ready to fight with everything we’ve got, whatever comes our way.”