Serie A ten best buys this season

Summer is always the time of fan’s high expectations, newspapers go like mad thanks to the bombastic headlines announcing the transfers that often end up as failures. We have already made our list of wasted money this season in Serie A. Still, there have been also several good moves and some of the players rose up from the shadow to become fans’ favorites over night. Interestingly, in most of the cases invested money didn’t mean a necessary repayment, but there are exceptions. It is still early to make final estimations, our list is open to suggestions, but we feel that these ten players have repaid their owners in the past six months.

1. Diego Milito (Zaragoza – Genoa)

This wasn’t a mere gamble of the club from Genoa. During his first spell in the town near Lanterna, Argentine striker has earned himself a nickname “Il Principe”. 25 goals in the season when Genoa were promoted to Serie A and then pushed back to third league for setting up the game against Venezia have brought Diego the royal status. Of course, there was no point remaining in Serie C and Milito was sold off to Zaragoza. His goals weren’t enough for the Spanish side to remain in the elite and at the end of last August he came back to his former club. He was welcomed with red carpet, treated like deity and his goals spoke of his gratitude. He was crucial in Genoa’s historic attack to Champions League, Inter wanted to buy him off but were denied. We will see if Genoa will manage to resist the big money this summer also.

2. Marco Di Vaio (Genoa – Bologna)

Forgotten striker has most likely done more than enough for Bologna to change their faith. He is the league’s top-striker and his performances remind us of days when he was one of the greatest hopes of Italian football. When Felsinei were practically knocked down, he was the one to keep them on their feet. Without a doubt, his sign was definitely best move this year, although Bologna were lucky that due to the fierce competition Di Vaio wanted to change the surroundings and go somewhere he would play.

3. Amauri Carvalho (Palermo – Juventus)

One of the rare situations when the invested money begins to pay off dividends before the end of the season. While leading Sicilians’ attack over the few past seasons, Amauri was indeed a real killer, but there was a huge question of how he will blend in the great club. Brazilian with Italian passport has come to the big stage relatively late. He seemed to be a gamble, most of all because in addition to money, Juventus also gave up the services of Antonio Nocerino, captain of Italian U21 national team. Treguet’s injury has opened the door to the first team for Amauri. He has scored a number of winners for his side thus becoming one of rare good purchases sport director Secco has made in the last two years.

4. Mauro Zarate (Al Sadd – Lazio)

It doesn’t happen so often that a foreign player manages to enkindle such a thrill at the Apennines and become fans’ favorite so quickly. His opening goals has set Lazio fans’ expectations on fire and Romans will probably have many problems to buy of Zarate’s contract at the end of the season from the Asian side. The boy who had to work hard for his five minutes, proved to be chairman Lotito’s best purchase since his arrival to the club, although many people are trying to take credits for him even now. Bad news is that temperamental “gaucho” has had a number of disagreements with coach Rossi and his restless spirit and quarrel with captain Rocchi could easily affect the dressing room atmosphere. It is the only reason why Zarate is this low on our list.

5. Alberto Gilardino (Milan – Fiorentina)

After this summer’s window, it seemed that Fiorentina had the best campaign, but these assumptions tend to turn around. Namely, Alberto Gilardino was the only one brought without any risk. His sad spell in Milan was over and coach Prandelli has managed to get only the best out of him just like he did in Parma. Gila-gol kept Fiorentina’s hope they could repeat last season’s success high with his goals. His worth to this club was so evident at the beginning of 2009. Two poor performances and two defeats prove that when rivals stop him Viola have a lot of problems.

6. Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth – Inter)

Whatever they say now, Inter didn’t consider Muntari the first pick. It was just when Lampard had decided to stay at Stamford Bridge when Inter started looking for the alternative. The crucial moments was that Muntari didn’t need time to get used to Italy having spent time with Udinese earlier on. Mourinho made him a regular fist-team member, partly due to several midfielders’ injuries, but he didn’t expect Muntari would become so important link in his squad. It takes only a goal against Juventus that is now making a difference between two clubs in their lo scudetto race to put the African on our list.

7. Fabio Liverani (Fiorentina – Palermo)

Controversial chairman Zamparini has sold out most of his first team regulars, but he also invested a lot of those €60 million to bring new players. Fabio Liverani was a bull’s eye and do not be wondered with former Italian cap being so high on our list. Ever since Eugenio Corini left, the Sicilians have been without the top creative player. Experienced playmaker has managed to bring all pieces together, rosonero’s performances are no longer chaotic and erratic and better standings with weaker team than last year are mostly his credits.

8. Ronaldinho (Barcelona – Milan)

Couple of poor performances just can’t ruin the total impression. Don’t forget that Ronaldinho was one of the rare players to keep Milan up top during the most of the half-season scoring few crucial, decisive goals, solving the Milan derby, and was the only Milan player in that disgraceful loss to Juventus that looked like he cared. It is not the same Ronaldinho we know from his first days with Barca, but he was definitely one of the smart moves by Adriano Galliani in the last two years.

9. Juan Zuniga (Atletico Nacional – Siena)

We had a doubt, but we still chose the Columbian who was a complete obscurity in Europe over the French Ghezzal as two players who have marked Siena’s new good season. Couple of great Italian clubs are having problems with the position of right winger and we should assume that Zuniga will probably make a step higher in his career this summer. Siena need to sell their best players and fill in the budget that way. this player who has hit the big scene quite unexpectedly is someone whose transfer will bring enough money for the entire next year to Siena.

10. German Denis (Independiente – Napoli)

Napoli sport director Marino is known to have great scouting network in South America. The man whose transfer of Maradona had wrote the new page of Italian football, has dug out Lavezzi two years ago today one of the most talented players in the world. He used the same recipe bringing German Denis from Argentina six months ago. This striker has already been to Italy, but as a youngster when he spent some time in the third tiers Cesena and scored only three goals. He was making his career in Argentina, but 37 goals in two years playing for Independiente were quite enough for him to get the new chance in Europe. Seven goals in Serie A are also quite enough for him to make it to our list.

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