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

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

Italian football hasn’t matched the Premier League’s transfer hype in recent years, but it has delivered thrilling title races.

Napoli, Inter, and AC Milan have dominated headlines, with Napoli ending its 33-year wait for the Scudetto in 2023 and defending it last season. Juventus, once untouchable, continues to search for its old dominance.

With the summer transfer window closed, Sportstar picks the top five signings set to shape another unpredictable Serie A campaign.

Once labelled one of La Liga’s worst signings on his 2012 arrival from Tottenham, Luka Modric leaves Real Madrid this summer as a legend — 28 trophies, six Champions League titles, and a Ballon d’Or to his name.

Now at AC Milan on a free transfer, he steps in for Manchester City-bound Tijjani Reijnders as Massimiliano Allegri targets the club’s first league crown since 2022. Milan’s rebuilt midfield — Adrien Rabiot, Ardon Jashari, Samuel Ricci, and Modric — offers flexibility in both 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 setups, with Modric’s vision and movement expected to be central to their play.

Bologna created history in the 2023-24 season, securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 59 years. Sam Beukema was one of the key members of that squad, playing as a central defender under manager Thiago Motta.

But, like it always happens after historic runs from underdog sides, an exodus followed — Motta left for Juventus, Joshua Zirkzee for Manchester United, Riccardo Calafiori for Arsenal and Beukema too saw himself out this season, joining defending champion Napoli.

Beukema made 80 appearances for Bologna over the last two seasons — he joined the Serie A side from AZ Alkmaar — and featured in all of its eight Champions League matches last season.

When Antonio Conte chalked up plans for Napoli’s title defence, it was natural that his name popped up, and he moved to Naples on a five-year deal worth £26 million.

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 remain in Europe after leaving FC Barcelona — the Belgian chose to stay in European football, joining defending champion Napoli.

The 34-year-old scored 108 goals and set up 177 more during his time in Manchester and will look to provide a similar assistance in Italy, having already scored once in two appearances for Conte’s men.

He will combine with three Manchester United outcasts, Scott McTominay (2024-25 Serie A Player of the Season), Rasmus Hojlund — on a season-long loan from United — and Romelu Lukaku this season.

Juventus has looked for a forward this summer, but after failing to land Randal Kolo Muani — who joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain — turned its focus to Sporting CP’s Conrad Harder and RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda.

Having moved from Ligue 1 side RC Lens in 2023, the Belgian has 41 goals and 18 assists in 93 appearances for Leipzig and moved to Italy on an initial loan with a condition to buy clause, taking his potential transfer fee to over £41 million.

Openda will compete for a spot in the starting 11 with Juve’s regular No. 9, Dusan Vlahovic, who has been rumoured with a move away from the club.

And the club signing wingers in Francisco Conceicao — permanent transfer —and Edon Zhegrova could see the team having a new front-three in the upcoming season.

Alvaro Morata, Spain’s fourth-highest goalscorer, decided to join his former teammate Cesc Fabregas at Como, with the latter now the manager of the team. Morata, who won eight trophies at Real Madrid before winning six more at Juventus, moved to Milan last year.

However, he fell out of favour at the club, joining Galatasaray in Turkey, as a replacement to injured Mauro Icardi. However, before the 2025-26 season, Como, a team promoted just last season and finished 10th in the standings.

Morata, typically a poacher in the box, might be 32 years old now, but his experience of playing and performing for some of the biggest clubs in Europe will be the biggest bonus for Como, which will look to continue its dream run in Italian football.

Published on Sep 02, 2025