MOVERS AND SHAKERS: WHO’S GOING WHERE IN THE SERIE A SUMMER SHUFFLE

So, while Milan [featured previously] have been making characteristically slow, steady strides towards re-generation, what have the rest of the Serie A contenders been up to in the summer break thus far?

Champions Inter have, as always, invested heavily in their perennial dream of adding continental domination to their monopolisation of recent Scudetti. Brazilian winger Mancini – snatched from rivals Roma – aside though, that investment has been predominantly in acquiring self-appointed saviour José Mourinho. And the ex-Chelsea and Porto manager’s wage will be commensurate with his ego.

The princely sum of £7m a year (twice as much as pocketed by Milan’s Carlo Ancelotti) should be enough to keep the ‘Special One’ in the finest Milanese coat designs for several years to come.

The freshly-installed boss was quick to inform playmaker Dejan Stanković that he was considered past his prime. Plans to replace the Serb with Deco came to nothing, so Portsmouth’s Sulley Muntari has been brought back to Serie A after a brief Premier League sojourn. It’s a deal which has raised many a Milanese eyebrow.

Mourinho has been daily linked with a move for fleet-footed countryman Ricardo Quaresma – largely overlooked by Luiz Felipe Scolari during the Euros – but Mancini’s arrival put paid to that prospect. And, of course, the tedious Frank Lampard saga seems to have finally dribbled to a halt – until January at least.

Last week, Mourinho declared himself “sincerely worried” about his new club’s defensive situation – with key personnel; Cristian Chivu, Iván Córdoba, Walter Samuel and Marco Materazzi all hogging the treatment table during pre-season. Rumours persist that Inter will dip into the market once more before the window finally slams shut to remedy the situation – ex-Everton man Matteo Ferrari, currently a free agent, has been strongly linked.

Even the most casual football fan could tell you that Mourinho has based his past successes rather more on pragmatism and meticulous preparation than any Wenger-esque aesthetic ideals. Yet, any top side needs that special someone to “make” the play. If given the opportunity, Luis Jiménez could continue to impress in the creative midfield role, as he often did last season. The effervescent Muntari also has much to offer in that regard, while Mancini can inject some sorely needed width into the nerazurri line-up.

Whatever the make-up of his first-choice XI though, Mourinho shoulders great responsibility for converting consistent domestic success into the holy grail of Champions League glory.

Juventus, the once dominant, proud Old Lady of Italian football, have had to assume a rather more humble outlook than their Milanese rivals over the past two years, due to the fallout of Calciopoli. But their qualification for a return to European football’s premier competition, following a third place Serie A finish, injected fresh optimism into the Turin faithful.

However, most fans have been scathing about Claudio Ranieri’s subdued summer transfer campaign to date.

Xabi Alonso’s long-touted arrival has not been forthcoming, so when Sevilla workhorse Christian Poulsen was instead signed up to form an unlikely midfield alliance with Momo Sissoko, Juve’s tifosi were more than a little disgruntled. Perspiration will obviously take precedence over inspiration in such an inelegant partnership. Fortunately, the return of loan star Sebastian Giovinco (selected as player of the recent Toulon tournament) should add a much needed dash of élan to the bianconeri’s toil.

Beanpole Brazilian Amauri also provides a new focus up front at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico, while Olof Mellberg’s free-transfer signing from Aston Villa will do much to shore up a defence in need of, well, re-juve-nation.

Nonetheless, it is plainly apparent that the Juventus squad still lacks in creativity and even a little quality. A potential move for Inter’s unwanted Stanković is unlikely to convince punters to put their hard-earned Euros on a sustained Juve title challenge, let alone significant European progress.

Over in the capital, last season’s unlucky runners-up have already lost Mancini to their main rivals, and Roma have yet to land a replacement. Recent rumours linking Julio ‘the Beast’ Baptista to the giallorossi at least signals an ambition to beef up an attack which has relied too heavily upon the perpetual ingenuity and adaptability of their eternal idol, Francesco Totti.

Significantly, the Romans have been able to resist growing interest in midfield starlet Alberto Aquilani, but with only John Arne Riise featuring in the ‘In’ column, Luciano Spalletti’s recruitment team are under pressure to get busy, quick.

It’s been a mixed summer for Fiorentina. Tomáš Ujfaluši, Fabio Liverani and (mercifully) Christian Vieri have been culled from the side which pipped Milan for Champions League qualification, while incoming Milan flop Alberto Gilardino represents something of a gamble at €13m. Catania’s raiding full-back Juan Manuel Vargas arrives for a similar fee and should prove a fine addition. It’s clear, however, that holding onto Adrian Mutu (who features strongly on Roma’s wishlist) and talented ‘keeper Seb Frey remains top priority for the Tuscan club.

Other eye-catching moves around the peninsula this summer include Lazio’s potentially expensive procurement of Mauro Zárate (initially on loan from Al Sadd). Zárate was given precious little opportunity to impress in English football by his typically sceptical boss at Birmingham City, Alex McLeish. He’ll be looking for coach Delio Rossi to show greater faith in his undoubted talents during this campaign. The shrewd purchase of Matuzalem – a returnee to Serie A after a prolonged exile in the Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk and La Liga’s Zaragoza – could also prove a masterstroke by a club searching desperately for a return to the Italian elite.

Atalanta star Antonio Langella’s switch to Udinese gives the well-travelled winger a late stab at the (relatively) big time, at the age of 31. Talented Azurrini playmaker Luca Cigarini’s €6m arrival in Bergamo will do much to soften the blow of Langella’s departure for Atalanta supporters.

The arrival of Fabio Liverani, Azzurri reserve ‘keeper Marco Amelia and return of Croat forward Igor Budan from relegated Parma should strengthen Palermo’s challenge for a place in the top six. While over in Genoa, Antonio Cassano’s permanent move to Sampdoria can only aid the continued resurrection of an ailing career which started out with such promise.

Amongst the likely relegation scrappers, Walter Zenga’s canny acquirement of Nicolae Dică from former club Steaua Bucharest should boost little Catania’s chances of prolonged Serie A survival. The tricky Romanian schemer could prove a snip for the Sicilians at around €2m.

With a month still remaining of Serie A transfer window madness, much horse-trading, bluffing and rumour-mongering will continue to plaster the pages of such dependable journals of truth as La Gazzetta and Tuttosport for some while yet.

When kick-off finally does arrive though, European football’s most unfairly maligned league will collectively be going all-out to break the Anglo-Spanish duopoly of the posh seats at Europe’s top table.

And it’s looking likely that seasoned Serie A-watchers can prepare themselves for another close-fought, absorbing title race. Can’t wait.