Bologna are preparing for a significant squad overhaul as they plan for the upcoming season, which will include Champions League football for the first time in 60 years. The club is facing the potential departures of key players but is determined to maintain their competitive edge.
La Gazzetta dello Sport highlight how the club anticipates four major departures:
1. Alexis Saelemaekers (loan not extended)
2. Victor Kristiansen (loan not extended)
3. Riccardo Calafiori (likely moving to Arsenal)
4. Joshua Zirkzee (potential transfer to Manchester United)
Despite these losses, Bologna’s sporting director Giovanni Sartori has emphasized that the club will limit further departures. The Swiss contingent of Dan Ndoye, Michel Aebischer, and Remo Freuler are considered “untouchable”.
Targeted Acquisitions
To replace the outgoing players and strengthen the squad, Bologna has identified several targets:
1. Fotis Ioannidis (Panathinaikos) – top priority for the attack
2. Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moscow) or Nicolas Dominguez (Bologna) – midfield reinforcement
3. Nicolò Cambiaghi – potential replacement for Saelemaekers
4. Defenders: Marin Pongracic (Lecce), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), or Jaka Bijol (Udinese) to replace Calafiori
Maintaining Competitiveness
Bologna’s management is keen to emphasize that they are not dismantling the team that finished fifth in Serie A last season. The club aims to reinvest the funds from player sales to ensure they remain competitive in both domestic and European competitions.
New manager Vincenzo Italiano, set to begin his tenure next Monday, is aware of the challenges ahead but is excited about the prospect of leading Bologna in the Champions League. The club’s ambition is clear: to establish themselves among Italy’s elite and continue their European journey.
