Rome (AFP)

Messi against Ronaldo, the return?

Serie A and Inter dream of it, but without really believing it.

In the context of the Covid crisis, Italian clubs will avoid the follies on the transfer market, which officially opens on Tuesday in the peninsula.

If Cristiano Ronaldo remains his headliner at 35, Juventus, unbeatable champion in search of a 10th consecutive title, has embarked on the rejuvenation of a workforce of an average age canon.

It goes from the sidelines, with the debut of Andrea Pirlo, to the field with the arrivals of the promising Brazilian Arthur (24 years old, ex-Barcelona), the Swedish nugget Dejan Kulusevski (20 years old, ex-Atalanta) and the ratisseur American Weston McKennie (22, ex-Schalke).

At the same time, the departures of Blaise Matuidi (33 years old, Inter Miami) and Miralem Pjanic (30 years old, Barcelona) are recorded while waiting for those desired by Sami Khedira (33 years old) and Gonzalo Higuain (32 years old), sluggish at the end of the season. .

Higuain, whom Juve had snatched from Naples in 2016 for 90 million euros, however intends to negotiate to close his last year of contract (7.5 million euros in salary) before leaving, perhaps in the United States.

- "Ibra" as tutor -

Proof that experience still counts for the Bianconeri, Roma center-forward Edin Dzeko, 34, is targeted to replace him.

In the "veterans" category, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, soon to be 39, continues to break records as he officially signed up for another year with AC Milan on Monday, just before resuming training.

Deprived of the Champions League since 2014, the club sees him as a tutor for his talented young generation who ended the season with a bang.

"As I said before, I am not here to be a mascot, but to help the club to return to where it deserves to be", proclaimed Zlatan, returned on Sunday to prepare for the new season which starts on the 19th September in Serie A.

The very courted and talented Sandro Tonali (Brescia, 20) should be part of this Milan in reconstruction.

On the side of Inter, Juve's main rival on paper, the objective is to strengthen the environment, where the transplant Eriksen, arrived in January from Tottenham, has not taken.

Antonio Conte is looking for experience in the midfield (Arturo Vidal or N'Golo Kanté are cited) after bringing speed to the right with the young side Achraf Hakimi (ex-Dortmund).

- Messi, unreachable dream?

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And Messi?

Despite the possible tax advantages in Italy, the "Chip" seems inaccessible to Inter.

In spite of the dreams nourished by the tifosi since the press announced this summer that the father of the six-fold Golden Ball had bought an apartment in Milan to house his business there.

Atalanta Bergamo like Lazio, 3rd and 4th last season, are betting on continuity.

For the Bergamesques, versatile, hardworking players with high potential added value.

For Lazio, a top scorer (36 goals last year), Ciro Immobile, renewed until 2025.

In this globally cautious market, Naples, who want to return to the Champions League after a mixed season, distinguished themselves by paying nearly 80 million EUR for the Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

The club must therefore sell and are looking for points of fall for its Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly (Manchester City is cited) and his Brazilian midfielder Allan (Everton).

The animation also comes from some ambitious Serie B, starting with Monza led by Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, where the top scorers of the last championships from Poland (Danish Christian Gytkjaer) and Croatia (Croatian Mirko Maric) land.

La Reggina, promoted who is already considering Serie A, is also trying blows: the French world champion Adil Rami is expected in Calabria to join his ex-partner from the Milan years Jérémy Menez.

Clubs can formally register transfers from Tuesday until October 5.

© 2020 AFP