Gianluca Nani, the technical director of the Pozzo family’s sports group, which includes Udinese, recently shared insights on the club’s past, present, and future transfer strategies in an interview with Il Messaggero Veneto (via Calciomercato). He addressed several players, including Jaka Bijol, who has been of interest to Inter Milan.
Regarding new signings and the coach, Nani stated, “Physically, they’re all doing well and can integrate quickly technically, but they come from different ways of interpreting the game. The coach is very attentive and will take care of it. What has the coach brought? Great positivity that he can transmit with clear concepts. He also has great human qualities, is humble, and is a good person.”
On recent acquisitions Bravo and Pizarro, Nani explained, “Assuming we invest to create capital and capital gains for the club, and to do so we must arrive before others, we can say that very good players have arrived who will be the future. We’re getting to know Bravo, and we’ll soon see Pizarro. Then, without offending others, I think Atta will do very well, as will Sava.”
Addressing Perez’s departure, Nani said, “We sold the players it was right to sell. As for Perez, it wasn’t a contemplated operation advantageous from both an economic and technical point of view. We could have waited another year, but when a player who has given a lot like Perez insistently makes you understand that he wants to leave, then it’s right to let him go.”
Regarding the last-minute signing of Tourè, Nani revealed, “The proof of all this discussion was the arrival of Tourè at 23:59 on the last day of the market, also because a Saudi club had intervened with a good offer.”
On retaining Bijol, Nani was firm: “How difficult was it to keep him? It was very easy because we consider him much stronger than the figures they were offering us. Jaka is a defender for a top club, for the Premier League or for one of the top three in Italy. He’s a great leader and has embraced our project because he feels good with us. So no offer for him was ever considered, not even for a minute, just like for Lucca and Thauvin. We’ve put them technically and mentally off the market, as well as Kristensen.”
Regarding Inter Milan’s interest in Bijol for January, Nani stated, “A player of this caliber is not sold in January, so we’ll tell them to wait.”
Finally, on Sanchez and Deulofeu, Nani commented, “Sanchez is already important for the great mentality he’s giving us. We’re waiting for him without rushing. The same goes for Deulofeu, who at the moment should only think about being well: he has such a relationship with the club that there will be no problems in returning to wear our jersey.”
