Perinetti is back, Amoruso is on board and Gattuso is official. Palermo have taken a running jump into the summer and are already putting the plans in place to ensure the club’s stay in Serie B is a short one. While Gattuso is short on experience, Rosanero management has been quickly getting a team assembled so that the coach can focus on making the right personnel decisions.
Kyle Lafferty was the first official transfer in the Serie B era. The striker from Northern Ireland “isn’t a great bomber”, in the words of Gattuso, but promises to work hard and can be a useful cog in the Mister’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system. He’ll have to fight for a spot and prove he can adapt quickly to the rigors of Serie B, but there has to be a reason why Palermo tried to get him in January and kept up their pursuit until it was official a couple weeks ago.
In a natural move that echoes Palermo’s policy of going after youth, the club signed a young winger named Carlos Apna Embalo from the small country of Guinea-Bissau in Africa. Embalo was purchased from Portuguese side Chaves and was named the best player of the recently played Angelo Dossena Tournament (which his side also won). The soon-to-be 19 year old is expected to play with the first team this season and not take part with the Primavera. It remains to be seen if that expectation is lived up to.
After what would be considered two gambles in Lafferty and Embalo, Perinetti and Amoruso put to paper two excellent signings in light of Serie B. First up, Gennaro Troianiello of Sassuolo. The veteran midfielder joined the Rosanero as part of the deal that sent Jasmin Kurtic to the newly promoted Serie A side on a co-ownership deal. Despite the hilarious last name, Troianiello is all business on the pitch. In the past four years, he has played a significant role on two teams that earned promotion to the top flight (Siena and Sassuolo). He’ll give Gattuso some much needed depth and experience in aiming to return to Serie A.
An even more promising signing is Davide Di Gennaro who joined Palermo from Spezia. The 25 year old trequartista may have a name that sounds familiar as he was once a highly touted prospect who grew up in the Milan youth ranks. Last season at Spezia, the midfielder scored 9 goals in 33 appearances and the year before that, he scored 10 goals in 32 appearances for Modena. Simply put, Di Gennaro is a luxury to have in Serie B. He has talent. Still only 25 years old, he’s entering the prime years of his career. On top of it all, Di Gennaro jumped at the opportunity to play for Palermo and rejoin his old teammate of one time in Gennaro Gattuso.
These few signings are just the beginning of assembling a side capable of winning the championship. Perinetti has also come out and drawn a line in the sand regarding all the players whose agents are pushing for a sale. The Palermo AD put it perfectly when he said that those who brought us to Serie B must stay and bring us back to Serie A. If they want to leave, then Palermo will need the money they’re asking for in order to construct a team capable of winning immediately. It’s always nice to see a tough stance being taken; now, it’s up to Palermo management to stand by those words without folding.
There is plenty more to come in the days to follow. Palermo are still keen on making several more signings and also must make several more sales. The club still intends to focus on the likes of Sorrentino, Munoz, Garcia, Morganella and Abel Hernandez. If they manage to hold onto that core, the Rosanero Revolution will already be off to a dream start.
FORZA PALERMOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
