Serie A Daily Report - 2026-07-08

Deloitte's latest Annual Review of Football Finance says European soccer revenue passed €40.2 billion in 2024-25 for the first time, but the boom may be flattening out. The 'Big Five' leagues - including Serie A - generated €21.6 billion of that total, while Italy's top flight posted only a modest 4% increase to $3.4 billion. The report warns that the sport is nearing saturation, with aggregate club revenue across Europe projected to plateau or even fall in 2025-26 and 2026-27 if the calendar keeps expanding.

For Serie A, the numbers underline both progress and a ceiling. Italy remains part of the continent's financial elite, yet it is still well behind the Premier League's $9 billion and even LaLiga's $4.6 billion. Deloitte's Tim Bridge argued that adding more matches is not a sustainable answer, warning that a busier schedule could weaken the on-pitch spectacle and ultimately hurt fans and players. For Italian clubs, that is a direct reminder that commercial growth must come from smarter revenue streams, not just more fixtures.

Luka Modrić appears poised to extend his stay at AC Milan, with multiple Italian reports saying the 40-year-old midfielder is inclined to activate the built-in option in his contract for 2026-27. Modrić joined Milan in June 2025 on a one-year deal worth about €3.5 million net per season, including bonuses, after 13 trophy-laden years at Real Madrid. His first season in Italy was mixed, but the club's new coach Ruben Amorim is said to value the Croatian veteran as a stabilising presence.

The extension would give Milan continuity at a moment of upheaval. The Rossoneri failed to qualify for the Champions League and have reshaped their senior leadership, but keeping Modrić would preserve a rare source of elite experience in midfield. For a team chasing a stronger 2026-27 campaign, his decision matters beyond sentiment: it signals that Milan still believe a 40-year-old Ballon d'Or winner can influence results, dressing-room standards and the club's push to re-establish itself among Serie A's title contenders.

Ruben Amorim has been unveiled as AC Milan's new head coach and made the ambition clear: he wants to dominate Serie A and win the club's 20th league title. Milan finished fifth last season after a late collapse that cost them a Champions League place for the second straight year, and Amorim arrives after being dismissed by Manchester United in January. He replaces Massimiliano Allegri and inherits a squad and structure that have been heavily reworked in the off-season.

The Portuguese coach framed the job as an even bigger challenge than Old Trafford and linked his first season directly to the Scudetto chase. That matters because title number 20 would deliver Milan a second star above the badge, a symbolic milestone that has been central to the club's identity for decades. Gerry Cardinale also backed the new era publicly, saying he was thrilled to work with Amorim after a frantic summer of planning. The message is clear: Milan are not talking about a gentle transition, but an immediate attempt to turn a fifth-place finish into a championship push.

Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali has confirmed that the club are interested in Emiliano Martinez and Alexander Sorloth, while also working on bringing Randal Kolo Muani back to Turin. The update comes as Juve prepare for a major squad overhaul after missing Champions League qualification and finishing sixth in Serie A, with Luciano Spalletti retained to lead the rebuild. The club's urgency is obvious: Juventus have not won the league since 2019-20 and need a stronger attack and spine to re-enter the Scudetto conversation.

The goalkeeping and forward targets suggest a broad summer reset rather than a single marquee signing. Martinez would add a proven winner after his Europa League success with Aston Villa, while Sorloth would offer another physical attacking option. Kolo Muani, meanwhile, would be a reunion move after his previous spell in Turin. With Juventus already linked to former Manchester City defender John Stones as well, the club's recruitment strategy looks aimed at both immediate quality and flexibility, reflecting how far they still are from the top of Serie A.

Juventus have reportedly added John Stones to their shortlist after the England defender left Manchester City on a free transfer. Stones, who made 295 appearances for City across 10 years and won six Premier League titles plus a Champions League, is now available on the market and could be tempted by a first move outside England. The reports say Juventus are exploring the possibility rather than advancing a concrete bid, but the interest is real enough to place him among several central defensive targets.

The timing is significant because Juventus are rebuilding after missing Champions League football and are already assessing defensive uncertainty. Luciano Spalletti's current options include Pierre Kalulu, Lloyd Kelly, Bremer and Federico Gatti, though Bremer and Gatti have both been linked elsewhere. Stones would bring experience, ball-playing quality and leadership to a back line that needs stability. Even if the move remains speculative, the fact Juve are considering a free-agent of his calibre shows how aggressively they are trying to upgrade the squad without overcommitting to one profile.

Crystal Palace have secured Daichi Kamada through June 2027, ending a messy contract window that briefly raised the possibility of the Japan midfielder becoming a free agent. Kamada joined Palace on a free transfer from Lazio on July 1, 2024, on an initial two-year deal, and renewal talks accelerated during the 2026 World Cup period. Reports had even suggested his original contract expired on July 7 before the new terms were confirmed, but the club has now tied him down for another year.

For Serie A, the detail that matters is Kamada's route out of Italy and the value Palace still see in a player who arrived from Lazio without a fee. His move back in 2024 was part of the wider circulation of talent between Serie A and the Premier League, and his extension shows how quickly a free signing can become an asset worth protecting. The episode also highlights how chaotic modern contract timelines can become during international tournaments, when club and country calendars collide and uncertainty spreads fast.

Alexia Putellas has left Barcelona after 14 years and will join London City Lionesses in the Women's Super League from September, a transfer that instantly changes the profile of both the club and the league. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner departs Barca having scored 233 goals in 513 appearances, won 10 league titles and four Champions League crowns, and lifted the World Cup with Spain. She also arrives with a record 147 caps for her country, making this one of the most decorated arrivals in WSL history.

The move matters because London City were a second-tier, semi-professional club only two years ago. Signing Putellas is the clearest evidence yet that the WSL can attract world-class players at the height of their powers, rather than only late-career names. Her two goals in Spain's 4-0 win over England in Mallorca in June underlined that she is still operating at elite level, and her choice of London City gives the club immediate credibility while raising the competitive and commercial stakes for the entire league.

Christian Pulisic's 2026 World Cup ended with the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16, and the post-mortem has already moved to his club future and his role as the face of U.S. soccer. The AC Milan forward opened the 2025-26 season with 10 goals in his first 15 appearances in all competitions, a strong club start that contrasted sharply with his tournament output, where criticism focused on a return of just one assist. The gap between club form and international expectation is now the central storyline around him.

Analysts and columnists are already debating whether the issue is tactical, psychological or simply a reflection of squad quality around him. Taylor Twellman argued that the 2018 failure to qualify may have shaped Pulisic's mindset, while other commentary suggested the USMNT's problems run deeper than any one coach. For Milan, the immediate relevance is that Pulisic remains one of their most productive attackers, and for the U.S. the question is whether their captain can carry elite club form into the next cycle after another painful knockout exit.