Serie A: the transfer window closes – all the deadline day deals

Trying to bring order to the chaos of deadline day is never easy, but it’s necessary. The closing hours of the winter window condensed some decisions, accelerated others and brought sudden changes of direction that could shape the second half of the season. Between marquee departures, returns to Italy, inter-club exchanges and new international profiles, Serie A sides made full use of every last minute to strengthen their squads.

The heavyweights made their final moves – Roma, Juventus and Napoli above all – while AC Milan and Inter began looking to the future. There was plenty of activity in the lower half of the table too, with Sassuolo particularly busy, alongside significant moves from Parma, Torino and Cremonese. Deadline day also brought notable farewells: Lookman headed to Atlético Madrid, Vecino left Lazio for Celta Vigo, Immobile departed Bologna for Paris FC, while Torino and Pisa mutually terminated contracts with Masina and Nzola, respectively.

Late pushes from the big guns: Roma, Juventus and Napoli

Bryan Zaragoza Martínez became Roma’s latest attacking threat, capping a very active winter window. After bringing in Robinio Vaz and Malen, as well as securing the loan of highly rated youngster Lorenzo Venturino from Genoa as part of the Baldanzi deal, the Giallorossi added another high-quality attacking option.

Zaragoza is a creative, explosive winger, strong one-on-one and capable of operating on the left side of the attacking midfield, helping to raise tempo and unpredictability. A Granada academy product, he earned the club promotion to La Liga and impressed at the top level in 2023 with six goals and two assists in 21 appearances. His impact attracted Bayern Munich, though playing time proved limited: over the last two seasons he has recorded three goals and ten assists in 64 appearances between Osasuna and Celta Vigo. In Rome, he will be looking for space and dynamism in a role currently occupied mainly by Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Juventus confirmed two deadline day signings. The first was Jérémie Boga, from Nice. A familiar face in Serie A, the Ivorian enjoyed the best season of his career at Sassuolo in 2019/20, scoring 11 goals. At 29, he offers Allegri an experienced alternative behind Conceição, Yıldız and Zhegrova, with 136 appearances in Italy’s top flight. His scoring form in France has dipped, however: after six goals in his first season, he has managed just two so far in this one.

The second addition is Swedish full-back Emil Holm, who joins Juventus in a loan swap with Bologna, where João Mário moves in the opposite direction. The Portuguese player, no longer in Juventus’ plans after Tudor’s departure, will look to rediscover regular minutes under Italiano. Holm leaves Emilia after an injury-affected campaign; he has 74 Serie A appearances and four goals across spells with Spezia, Atalanta and Bologna.

Napoli completed their business with the arrival of Alisson de Almeida Santos on loan with an option to buy from Sporting CP. Born in 2002 in the Brazilian state of Bahia, he moved to Europe in the summer of 2024, scoring six goals with União Leiria in Portugal’s second tier. He then joined Sporting, where he impressed mainly in the Champions League with three goals in eight appearances, including the decisive strike against Athletic Bilbao that secured the Portuguese side a playoff place. In the league, however, he remained a fringe player, making 18 substitute appearances and totalling just 180 minutes. Antonio Conte now has the task of developing a raw but intriguing talent with explosive pace, who offers an alternative to Giovane and an extra option following Neres’ injury and Lang’s departure.

AC Milan and Inter: investing for the future

AC Milan looked ahead, finalising the signing of Alphadjo Cissé from Hellas Verona, who will remain on loan at Catanzaro until 30 June 2026. Born in 2006 in Treviso to Guinean parents, he has been one of Serie B’s standout surprises, scoring six goals for the Calabrian side after finishing as Hellas Verona Primavera’s top scorer. He already has two appearances for Italy’s Under-21s.

Inter adopted a similar approach, securing Yanis Massolin from Modena. The France-born, Algerian-origin midfielder is 197 cm tall and plays as an attacking midfielder. In his first season in Italy he impressed with one goal and two assists in 14 Serie B appearances.

Mid-league competition: major reinforcements and gambles on youth

The fight for survival also drove intense market activity.

Udinese invested in one of the Balkans’ most promising prospects, signing Branimir Mlacic from Hajduk Split. The 2007-born centre-back is physically imposing at 192 cm, and has already made 19 senior appearances and debuted for Croatia’s Under-21s.

Cremonese looked to strengthen their side by targeting proven reliability. First came Morten Thorsby from Genoa, who spent two and a half seasons with the club and made 67 appearances. The 1996-born Norwegian brings resilience, power and leadership – qualities Nicola values and which could prove decisive in the run-in. Alongside him came Sebastiano Luperto from Cagliari, another seasoned campaigner with 198 Serie A appearances, reunited with Nicola after their time together at Empoli. With these new arrivals, Cremonese have established an experienced central spine to lean on in the relegation battle.

Sassuolo were among deadline day’s busiest clubs, reinforcing while investing in the future. Brazilian centre-back Pedro Felipe, born in 2005, arrives from Juventus Next Gen after 15 Serie C appearances and two goals. Standing at 190 cm and ready to compete through his physicality, he will get his first taste of Serie A, aiming to break into an already youthful defence.

Additionally, Sassuolo completed a double deal with Olympique Marseille. Ulisses Garcia joins on loan with an option to buy: a versatile left-back born in 1996, with 42 appearances in France, years as a Young Boys mainstay and 12 caps for Switzerland. Alongside him comes Darryl Bakola, a French midfielder born in 2007, with just ten senior appearances but considered an exciting prospect.

Parma opted for flair and unpredictability by bringing in Gabriel Strefezza. The Brazilian, born in 1997, returns to Serie A after a brief spell at Olympiacos that yielded one goal. In Emilia, the former SPAL, Lecce and Como playmaker will look to relaunch himself in an ideal environment, hoping to rediscover the numbers he posted last season under Fàbregas at Como, when he scored six goals.

Torino rounded out their defensive unit with two additions. Enzo Ebosse arrived from Udinese after an unsuccessful loan at Verona, limited to four appearances. Joining him is Luca Marianucci, signed on loan from Napoli: the 2004-born former Empoli defender has made two appearances this season and represents a young but already well-structured investment.

Relegation zone: managerial changes and last rolls of the dice

At the bottom of the table, the window also coincided with boardroom decisions. Pisa and Hellas Verona both changed head coaches, parting ways with Gilardino and Zanetti after collecting just 14 points each from 23 matches.

Fiorentina completed the loan signing of Daniele Rugani. The Juventus defender from Lucca replaces the departing Pablo Marí. Though recently sidelined by a calf strain, Rugani has still made six appearances this season and brings European experience and deep league knowledge to Florence.

Pisa welcomed Samuel Iling-Junior from Aston Villa. The English winger, formerly of Juventus and Bologna, already boasts 43 Serie A appearances and three goals. After a spell in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion, he arrives in Tuscany to provide options on both flanks, as winger or full-back.

A chaotic day for Verona. First came the morning announcement of Paolo Zanetti’s dismissal. Then the arrival of Andrias Edmundsson, the first Faroese player in Serie A history. Born in Toftir on 18 December 2000, the central defender was developed in Sunderland’s academy and joins from Wisła Płock to shore up a back line searching for solidity and certainty.

Finally, right at the close, Verona saw the expected move for Kouamé from Fiorentina collapse at the last moment.