From Modric to De Bruyne top transfers in Italian football and the Serie A before 2025-26 season

Italian football has had less hype most of the past decade than for Premier League transfers, but it has still produced photo finishing title races.

Napoli, Inter and AC Milan have regularly taken the front pages, with the side of Naples who won the Scudetto after 33 years in 2023 before it repeats the last campaign. In the meantime, the old lady of Turin-Juventus has a good time to be where it once was, as an ever-dominant side in the country.

After the summer transfer window, Sportstar looks at the top five signing sessions in this transfer window while Serie A parties promise a different season of surprises and interesting storylines:

Mateo Retegui – Atalanta → Al Qadsah

The Saudi Pro League is not only about sharpening the headlines by signing Cristiano Ronaldo, but it is also about bringing in quality players – Mateo Retegui was a recent example of it and came to Al Qadsah from Atalanta for a fee of approximately £ 57 million.

Retegui was the Golden Boot -winner – called the Paolo Rossi Award – in the Serie A last season and became the first player from Atalanta who won the trophy after Filippo Inzaghi in the 1996-97 season.

The transfer costs made him the most expensive Italian player of all time, and surpassed that of Sandro Tonali, who came from AC Milan in 2023 at Newcastle United.

Retegui replaced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the Pro League side, with the last this summer returning to Marseille.

Luka Modric – Real Madrid → AC Milan

Luka Modric was mentioned as one of the worst signing sessions in La Liga when he came to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012.

More than ten years later, he left the club with 28 trophies this summer, including six UEFA Champions League titles and a Ballon d’Or, making him one of the biggest players who embraced the game.

With a free transfer AC Milan he replaced Manchester City-bound Tijjani Reijnders, while Massimilliano Allegri is preparing his army to challenge their first league title since 2022.

The team has a completely new arrangement of midfield, with Adrien Rabiot, Ardon Jashari, Samuel Ricci and Modric, who can play in both 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations, with Modric’s movement-Zowel with as without the ball-in the opposition that is a critical asset for Milan’s gamePlay.

Sam Beukema – Bologna → Napoli

Bologna created history in the 2023-24 season and provided a place in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 59 years. Sam Beukema was one of the most important members of that team and played as a central defender under manager Thiago Motta.

But as it always happens after historic runs of Underdog – Senuits, followed an exodus – Motta left for Juventus, Joshua Zirkzee for Manchester United, Riccardo Calafiori for Arsenal and Beukema also saw himself this season with defending champion Napoli.

Beukema appeared 80 performances for Bologna in the past two seasons – he joined the Serie A -side of AZ Alkmaar – and played last season in all his eight Champions League matches.

When Antonio Conte had plans for Napoli’s title defense, it was of course that his name appeared and he moved to Naples with a five -year deal worth £ 26 million.

Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City → Napoli

An era ended in Manchester when midfield talisman Kevin De Bruyne decided to leave Man City on a free transfer, but unlike Andres Iniesta – who chose not to stay in Europe after leaving FC Barcelona – the Belgian chose to stay in European football and become a member of title defender Napoli.

The 34-year-old scored 108 goals and set up 177 more during his time in Manchester and will try to offer a similar help in Italy, who has already scored in two performances for Conte’s men.

He will combine with three Manchester United Outcasts, Scott McTominay (2024-25 Serie A player of the season), Rasmus Hojlund-Op a seasonal loan from United and Romelu Lukaku this season.

Victor Osimhen – Napoli → Galatasaray

Osimhen had risen to become one of the best strikers in the world in 2023 when he helped Napoli to win the Scudetto after 33 years under manager Luciano Spalletti.

After a season in Naples and after a failed move to the Saudi Pro League, he spent the last season on loan with Turkish super Giant Galatasaray, eventually with a permanent movement on the side of this summer for a fee of approximately £ 65 million.

In Turkey he had a good enchantment last season, with 37 target contributions (31g, 6A) in 34 performances in all competitions, and has two goals in three games this season.

Published on 02 September 2025