Serie A Summer Transfers – What’s New for the 2026-27 Season
The Italian Serie A is one of the Big Five in European football, with top-tier clubs that dominate Europe. Serie A clubs have made pivotal moves, buying and selling players across Europe in the 2026 Summer Transfer Window. This would heavily influence the upcoming domestic league and the Champions League campaign. Although the transfers were a part of the strategy, players’ adaptability in new clubs and leagues is a significant concern. At the same time, it could entirely transform a club, just like De Bruyne did for Man City. Regardless, Serie A’s moves look promising for the forthcoming campaign. But still, only the upcoming campaign could tell whether the moves were worth it. Let’s look at the major signings and departures of Serie A this season.
Nico Paz is the biggest signing for a Serie A club in a while. The Argentine forward was brought in by Como from Real Madrid for a stunning €60 million fee. The deal is also subject to a 50% sell-on clause with a buy-back option for the 2027-28 campaign. His initial appearance for Como under loan was simply outstanding. He scored 12 goals and 6 assists during his time at Como. He showed strong resistance to pressure and strong dribbling skills in tight spaces. His arrival is expected to influence the club’s performance in the upcoming Champions League campaign.
Rasmus Højlund
After delivering a pivotal performance for Napoli in the 2025-26 season, Rasmus Højlund is permanently signed by the club. Following their Champions League qualification, Napoli closed the deal with Manchester United for €44 million. The Danish forward has scored 12 goals and 5 assists in the last Serie A season, proving his worth.
Lois Openda
Earlier, Lois Openda played for Juventus on loan, but his performance was not convincing enough. Juventus had no idea of signing him permanently. An unfavorable circumstance led him to sign him. Eventually, Leipzig closed the deal for a €40 million permanent transfer to Juventus.
Initially, Juventus were planning to bring Randal Kolo Muani back. But when the deal collapsed, the Italian side rushed to secure a backup and brought Openda on loan. RB Leipzig agreed with the obligation to buy him under certain conditions. Thus, they ended up buying Lois Openda despite not being satisfied with his performance.
Donyell Malen
Roma signed Donyell Malen on a six-month loan, paying a €2 million fee. Malen was a valuable addition to the Italian side, scoring 15 goals in 20 appearances. As a result, the club secured a Champions League qualification spot. His crucial contribution triggered Roma to sign him permanently for €25 million. Malen is expected to deliver a promising season in the upcoming campaign.
Lorenzo Colombo
This move originally began as a loan with an option to buy the player. The loan deal included a €10 million mandatory purchase obligation that would be triggered under certain conditions. AC Milan insisted that Genoa should buy if they secured a safe zone and Colombo scored at least 5 goals. Colombo triggered the clause by scoring 7 goals and providing 2 assists across 38 appearances. This helped Genoa to maintain its top-flight status as well. As a result, Genoa brought Lorenzo Colombo with a long-term contract, extending up to June 2029.
Major Departures
Alex Jiménez
Álex Jiménez left the Serie A club, AC Milan, to join AFC Bournemouth. The Premier League side closed the permanent transfer deal for €19.5 million, with some performance-based add-ons. After an initial loan spell from Real Madrid, AC Milan permanently brought Jiménez in with a 50% sell-on clause. Later, AC Milan sent him on loan to Bournemouth with an obligation to buy based on appearances. Following Alex Jiménez’s tenure at Premier League, Bournemouth met the threshold for a mandatory buy.
Timothy Weah
Timothy Weah left Juventus and joined the Ligue 1 club, Marseille. Juventus sold Weah to Marseille on loan with an initial obligation to buy. The 26-year-old forward permanently moved to Marseille after a convincing appearance for the French club. He scored a Champions League goal against Real Madrid and consistently contributed in attacking positions. As the loan spell was satisfying for Marseille, they closed the deal for around €14 million. The deal also included a 15% sell-on clause, making Juventus a fortune.
Dušan Vlahović
Dušan Vlahović refused a contract renewal at Juventus and exited the club as a free agent. The 26-year-old striker is actively seeking his next club and is demanding roughly €8 million per season. Vlahović had a strong campaign at Juventus, scoring multiple goals and assists. Several clubs have had talks with him, such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Beşiktaş. However, his next destination remains uncertain.
Serie A Clubs’ European Participation
For the following UEFA tournaments, Italy is sending seven Serie A clubs in the league phase. Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, and Como. AC Milan and Atalanta are taking part in the Europa League. As the defending Serie A champions, Inter Milan has focused on the club’s youth participation by sending veterans as free agents. Yann Sommer, Matteo Darmian, Stefan De Vrij, and Francesco Acerbi are leaving the club, making room for young talents. Inter Milan’s 2026-27 UCL campaign is hugely awaited as young talents have taken over the club. On the other hand, Napoli has made riveting moves, buying Rasmus Højlund, Alisson Santos, and Vanja Milinković-Savić. Coming to the Champions League, Napoli’s renovation is expected to reflect on the European stage. Similarly, Como, Roma, and AC Milan have also made numerous changes ahead of the upcoming campaign. So, their European participation is highly anticipated by fans.
What to Expect for Serie A 2026-27?
As the major clubs of Europe have made several fantastic moves, the upcoming domestic and European seasons are highly anticipated. Particularly, Serie A clubs’ transfer moves have been great lately. The new signings and departures are indeed going to change how clubs will perform in the upcoming matches. That being said, the 2026-27 Serie A season might flip the narrative, influencing subsequent seasons. The top clubs like Inter Milan, Napoli, Juventus, and AC Milan are highly expected by fans to deliver a promising season. Meanwhile, the mid-table clubs aim to deliver a comeback performance with the hopefully successful transfers. Let’s see how the Serie A matches unfold as the Summer Transfer Window influences the game.