Serie A Matchday 10: Milan Derby and Transfer Buzz
Matchday 10 in Serie A opens with a jolt, not a murmur. San Siro lights up tonight for the Milan derby, the old cathedral of Italian football staging its most volatile liturgy. Title ambitions, city pride, and a season’s narrative all crammed into 90 minutes. And that is only the start of a weekend already crackling with subplots.
Away from the pitch, the morning brings a wave of stories that cut across the peninsula: transfers that never happened, deals being lined up, and injured stars racing the clock.
Juve and Dibu Martínez: the move that vanished
Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez has revealed just how much one injury reshaped his career path.
Speaking to Olé, the Argentina goalkeeper described the serious finger injury he suffered in the Europa League final and the toll it took. He played on through intense pain, ignoring medical advice that said he needed about ten weeks out and surgery.
The cost? According to Martínez’s own account, a move to Juventus collapsed because of that very injury. The keeper explained that his condition scuppered the transfer, while at Chelsea he kept playing despite the ongoing pain and the looming need for an operation.
One decision to play through it. One major transfer gone.
Milan, Cardinale and Amorim: building a new core
Across the city, Milan are not just thinking about tonight’s derby. They are quietly shaping the next phase of the project.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport and Fabrizio Romano, Rúben Amorim has made his priorities clear: he wants a centre-back who can defend aggressively and start moves from deep. The top name on the list is Sporting’s Gonçalo Inácio, valued at around €40–45 million and already admired by the coach from their time in Portugal.
The back line is only part of the plan. Milan also want more firepower. Endrick remains a favourite of Gerry Cardinale, a long-term target rather than a quick fix, but Real Madrid are not inclined to let him go in January.
So attention turns to the No. 9 role. Club Brugge’s Nicolò Tresoldi is firmly on the radar, with a deal more likely to take shape next summer. The sense is clear: Milan are preparing to give Amorim a squad that reflects his football, not just his name.
Inter eye Chiesa and lock down Dimarco
On the other side of the derby divide, Inter are already peeking into January.
Federico Chiesa has emerged as a potential opportunity, according to TMW. The Italian forward is struggling for minutes at Liverpool, and a return to Serie A is not off the table. A loan with an option to buy is among the formulas being discussed, a classic Inter move: low immediate risk, high potential upside.
At the same time, the club are working to secure one of their own. Federico Dimarco is close to extending his contract until 2031, a long-term statement on a player who has become a symbol as much as a starter.
Inter are also casting an eye toward the future on the flanks. Shakhtar Donetsk’s Pedrinho is being monitored, with the Ukrainian side valuing him at around €25 million. Inter’s present is the derby. Their future is already on the whiteboard.
Napoli and Neres: a return on the horizon
Down south, Napoli finally have some good news from the treatment room.
Corriere dello Sport reports that David Neres is stepping up his recovery and could be back in the squad as early as the clash with Lazio, the final league game before the international break. The message from Castel Volturno is clear: optimism, but no recklessness. Napoli will not risk him if there is the slightest doubt.
Alisson Santos and Favasuli will need a little longer. Both are progressing well, yet neither is expected to rejoin the group until after the break. Within a few weeks, though, Allegri could have three significant options back at his disposal, and with them the chance to rotate more intelligently in a congested calendar.
Roma miss out as Atalanta land Rowe
In Rome, a transfer story has surfaced that stings.
Jonathan Rowe, now an Atalanta player, could easily have been wearing Giallorosso. According to Tuttomercatoweb, Gian Piero Gasperini had initially identified the Englishman as an ideal reinforcement for Roma, seeing him as the right profile to lift their attacking options.
Roma moved. Talks opened. Sporting director Tony D’Amico spent considerable time in negotiations, but the deal never reached the finish line.
That hesitation proved costly. Atalanta swooped in and closed one of the biggest operations in their history: a €5 million loan fee, a €30 million obligation to buy and another €5 million in bonuses. While Atalanta celebrated a record signing, Roma were left to walk away from a player they had once targeted as a priority.
Lazio, Taylor and the Premier League’s gaze
Lazio, meanwhile, are dealing with a very different problem: how to keep hold of a breakout star.
Kenneth Taylor’s recent form has lit up their midfield. Two goals and an assist in his last two league games have not gone unnoticed. TransferFeed, via LaLazioSiamoNoi, reports that Brighton and Bournemouth have both set their sights on the Dutchman.
Both Premier League clubs could move as early as January. Bournemouth are even considering Taylor as a possible successor to Alex Scott. For Lazio, the numbers would be tempting: the former Ajax player would generate a substantial profit.
Yet money is only part of the equation. Taylor has quickly become one of the most important players in Gennaro Gattuso’s system. Letting him go mid-season would mean ripping out a key piece just as the team is starting to find rhythm.
Fiorentina and Lazio collide over Thorstvedt
In Florence, Fiorentina risk being overtaken in a race they once led.
Kristian Thorstvedt, the Sassuolo midfielder long on the Viola’s radar and close to moving to the Franchi last summer, is again in the headlines. This time, though, Fiorentina are not alone.
Calciomercato.it reports that Lazio have now joined the chase. Thorstvedt’s contract runs until June 2027, but without an extension, the Norwegian could become an increasingly attractive target in the medium term, even edging toward a potential free-transfer scenario down the line.
Fiorentina are considering renewing their push as early as January. Lazio, for their part, have reportedly already contacted the player’s representatives, who are open to talks.
Two clubs, one profile, and a midfielder who could reshape someone’s midfield next season.
The weekend starts with the Milan derby and a city split in two. By the time Matchday 10 closes, the real fault lines might run somewhere else entirely: through transfer rooms, medical reports, and the futures of players who could yet decide this Serie A season.
