Rudy's Rumour Mill: Leite and Sesko in demand as Napoli and Juventus mull big changes
Diogo Leite is a wanted man
Among the best Champions League defenders of the group stage - first for distance covered (72.4 km), second for clearances attempted (35) and third for balls recovered (49) - Diogo Leite, called up again by the Portuguese national team after some time, is attracting the attention of many clubs in Europe and some have already approached the Union Berlin player.
This happened in January when the Portuguese centre-back was contacted first by Real Madrid for a possible loan move after David Alaba's injury and then by Bayer Leverkusen and other top teams, who requested information about a possible transfer in the summer.
The Bundesliga leaders are now upping their pursuit. The German club appreciate the player a lot and are planning a new attempt for Leite in the next window. Union Berlin - the club where Leite has a contract that expires in 2026 - are open to evaluating offers and could decide to let him go for a suitable proposal.
For his part, Leite - who has an excellent reputation in Europe and particularly in the Bundesliga - could further affirm his career growth with a big leap forward, in all likelihood, with the future German champions. But nothing has been decided yet, the race for Diogo is still open.
Who will be next in at Napoli?
Napoli returned to performing well after yet another coaching change. Walter Mazzarri, who had found an almost disastrous situation after Rudi Garcia, had sorted things out a bit, especially in terms of fitness and defensive solidity. However, he wasn't able to revive the side offensively, something that Napoli's newest manager Francesco Calzona - despite their elimination from the Champions League by Barcelona - is achieving more by the week.
It is no coincidence that with the Slovakia national team coach in the dugout, the Italian champions are unbeaten in the Serie A. However, Calzona's future will likely not be at Napoli. In June, unless there is a sensational twist, they will go their separate ways, with the Italian manager ready to focus on the Euro 2024 with Slovakia.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis has already started evaluations for next season and his goal is to find a new head coach as soon as possible. Vincenzo Italiano - considered the ideal profile to lead the squad - remains at the top of the list. His tenure on the Fiorentina bench should end in the next months and his past connections with De Laurentiis seem to have made the negotiation run smoother.
Chelsea plan to bolster attack
The victory in the FA Cup against Leicester and the possibility of qualifying for European competition next season - considered the minimum goal for Mauricio Pochettino - gave Chelsea a moment of serenity in a difficult season. In addition to focusing on the results on the pitch, the Blues are already planning their possible moves in the market and - as well known - the primary target for the summer is to strengthen the attack, both in terms of wingers and strikers.
Nico Williams is an increasingly popular name at Chelsea, and this is no surprise. The Blues have been monitoring the Athletic Bilbao player for at least one year and now they are making serious evaluations, especially in light of the possible departure of Raheem Sterling, highly regarded in Saudi Arabia it seems. It's important to underline that Nico - whose contract expires in 2027 - is not the only winger on their list. In addition to Williams - who has a €55million release clause in his contract with Athletic Bilbao - Chelsea are also monitoring Michael Olise.
Regarding forwards, Victor Osimhen remains the main target, with the Blues willing to negotiate with Napoli the terms of payment of the €130million release clause. Benjamin Sesko also represents a possible alternative, but Napoli themselves are very interested in the Slovenian striker to replace the Nigerian forward in the summer - more on that below.
Benjamin Sesko has many admirers
Constantly monitored by Europe's top clubs, Benjamin Sesko will be one of the key players in the next summer market. The RB Leipzig striker - whose contract expires in June 2028 - has a release clause set at €50million and some teams consider this amount a fair cost.
Among these clubs, as we have just said, is Chelsea, but also Arsenal. Both London clubs will seek to strengthen their attacks in the next market window and have the Slovenian on their respective radars. And it isn't just Premier League clubs that are keen on him, there are other teams in Europe very interested too, such as Napoli, as mentioned above. The Italian champions have identified Sesko, in addition to Lille's Jonathan David, among the possible strikers to replace Osimhen, who will leave at the end of the season.
Despite rumours that the Slovenian is already close to a potential move to the Premier League, the race for him is still open and nothing has yet been decided. The next few weeks will be decisive for his future. What is certain is that the 20-year-old is expected to make a huge step in his career in the summer.
Is it time to say goodbye to Allegri?
The story of Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus may be coming to an end as his weeks on the Bianconeri bench seem to be numbered. Certainly, the results of the last two months have convinced the Juventus management to seriously consider a replacement for next season. With only one victory obtained in the last eight Serie A matches and unconvincing performances - not only in terms of results but also in terms of quality - the club are losing patience.
For these reasons, at the end of the season, Allegri - who last summer rejected a monster offer from Saudi Arabia - will likely leave. There are already several names on the list as possible replacements. The leading contenders are Thiago Motta, who is trying to achieve a historic qualification for the Champions League at Bologna, and above all Antonio Conte.
The preference of Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli is to bring the former midfielder Conte back to Turin, where he won three Serie A titles as a manager and also set a record - still unbeaten - of 102 points in a season.
