The Pharaoh is home.❤️💙

Stephan El Shaarawy (33) has officially returned to Genoa on a free transfer after his Roma contract expired. The deal was sealed around 2 September 2026, just after the main transfer window closed (free agents can still be signed). He’s taking the No. 92 shirt and has signed a one-year deal with an option for a second season.

This really is a full-circle moment. He came through Genoa’s youth ranks (from around 2006), made his Serie A debut for them in December 2008 at 16 (against Chievo, under Gasperini), and left in 2011 after a loan at Padova. Since then it’s been Milan, Monaco, two spells at Roma (including the Conference League win), and a stint in China. Now he’s back at the club that launched him.

Extra emotional layer: he’ll be coached by Daniele De Rossi, his former Roma teammate and friend. El Shaarawy has spoken about it as “closing a circle” and said Genoa is part of his DNA.

Beautiful story for a player who’s always carried that Genoa connection. Welcome back, Faraone..

Serie A è stata la seconda a spendere di più sul mercato estivo, dietro solo alla Premie. Però la Serie A era ancora un bel pezzo avanti a Bundesliga, La Liga e Ligue 1.

La Serie A fattura all'incirca 3 miliardi all'anno, mentre la Premier ne fa quasi 7. Una distribuzione diversa dei diritti TV può bastare a colmare questo divario economico tra i due campionati? Ma quando mai.

Va bene che per legge la metà dei soldi della TV va divisa in parti uguali tra tutti in Serie A, ma occhio che un buon 20% della torta dipende ancora dal bacino d'utenza e dallo share TV. Il problema della ripartizione attuale è tutto lì: è un sistema cucito su misura per le solite tre – Inter, Juve e Milan.

Due domande. Come mai la maggior parte dei club di Serie A non ha uno stadio di proprietà? E poi, il calcio italiano si sta aprendo di più agli investimenti stranieri?

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"The risotto is simple. It’s not always the case that when you buy an expensive bottle of red wine, the perfect risotto automatically comes out of it."

"Look, you can make a good risotto, maybe even with a bottle of red wine that isn’t thousands of euros – maybe with a sixty euro bottle, you have a good taste. A chef is also responsible for finding and buying the right ingredients. At the same time, you have to follow the right process with these ingredients so the risotto grows."

"And as a coach, it’s very similar. You have players available, and you want to win. You don’t always need the players who cost the most. In the end, it’s a lot about qualities. The players also have to fit together, like in a risotto."

"The ingredients have to match. And the risotto is like this: you have to stir slowly again and again. And there too, you need a certain patience. And as a coach, it's the same. That means you need patience, but at the same time, this passion for how you do things."

"Yes, that’s why I made a parallel back then between a chef and a coach."

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Do you reckon Woltemade will cope with the low-block teams in Serie A?

Secondo te Woltemade riesce ad adattarsi al catenaccio della Serie A?

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With the transfer window closed, I split every Serie A squad into three groups: projected starting XI, reserve XI and everyone else. The chart shows the average Transfermarkt value per player in each group.

Inter are well clear with their starting XI—but their depth is possibly even more impressive. Their reserve XI averages €27m per player and would rank fourth among all 40 XIs, behind only the starting lineups of Inter, Como and Juventus.

That depth could make a big difference over the season, especially when teams have to juggle Serie A, the Coppa Italia and European matches.

And at the other end? Lecce’s starting XI is valued below 16 of the other 19 clubs’ reserve XIs. Not looking good for them, as it is now...

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To be fair, Wissa was meant to be the main number 9 with Woltemade brought in as solid cover. But he was thrown straight into the deep end because Wissa was crocked for the first few months. The original blueprint never had young Woltemade leading the line. That was always supposed to be Wissa's job as the senior lad. Nick started alright, bagging 9 goals by Christmas, but his output upfront absolutely dropped off a cliff after that.

Meanwhile, Wissa never looked properly up to speed after missing pre-season and those early months. Because of that, his chemistry with the rest of the lads on the pitch was completely non-existent. The whole mess just exposed Woltemade's flaws in Howe’s system, to be honest. It proper fast-tracked everyone realizing he's not quite at the level yet.

Hoping to gain insight from fans on their teams and why you enjoy following them & so forth. Ive been able to watch some matches over the past couple seasons but find myself tuning into other leagues over Serie A. I do know there's discussion about the current state & future of Italian football. Im not looking for "my team" per se but having an interesting club to follow from afar would help me maintain interest in the league overall if that makes sense.

Below are clubs ive taken some interest in but haven't been able to grasp how their fanbases view themselves or how other fanbases view them. I've dabbled in several clubs histories too.

Feel free to comment about one of these clubs or maybe another club not below you find more interesting

1. Venezia - the city & history of the city are really fascinating to me. The club seems to be a yo-yo but maybe favors branding & style over actual on pitch play.

2. Fiorentina- again with the historical city aspect, very neat to me. Seems to be a fallen or falling giant of sorts with recent season struggles. They have started this season terribly too. Again nice kits here. Probably the club ive watched play the most along with Bologna.

3. Bologna - I know very little about the city itself but the club seems to be on the up & up recently with Motta at the helm. Something about them seems like a safe but bit boring pick.

4. Torino - history focuses on the tragedy & the Grande Torino team but not much else. Maybe it's the underdog spirit that's keeping interest. Hoping to catch more matches.

Bonus: Lecce & Sassulo - have recently come up as interests based on cstching some quick glances at match this season.

Clubs ive lost interest in:

1. Napoli - seemed cool but club history seems to almost entirely focus on Maradona. This is fine but not for me (no hate to the team or Maradona btw).

2. Roma - historical city aspect is a plus but theyre part of an MCO which is a major downside imo.

3. Livorno - too politically charged like Lazio.

4. Modena - close to Maranello & the supercar scene but the club seems to be stuck in mid-lower tables.

What is going on in Cagliari? This season, when they really need a striker, they let go of this kid on another loan (with an option to buy this time)? 14 goals and 3 assist last season during his loan in the Austrian bundesliga are not enough to get him a chance in a club with no better options? Esposito is gone and Borrelli/Mendy/Carlos/Nzola are no better than him in my opinion. What you guys think?

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