Serie A Daily Report - 2026-07-25

AC Milan have secured Luka Modrić for one more year, with the Croatian veteran extending his contract until 30 June 2027. The 40-year-old midfielder joined Milan in 2025 and, despite his age, still delivered two goals in 37 matches last season. The renewal keeps one of world football's most decorated midfielders in Serie A and gives Milan continuity in a squad that remains built around experience as well as technical quality. For a club that finished fifth last season, keeping Modrić is a statement that the Rossoneri still want proven winners in the room and on the pitch.

The extension also underlines how Milan are managing the final phase of a legendary career without treating Modrić as a ceremonial signing. He remains a starter-level option in a league where control and game management still matter, and his presence should help younger teammates through a demanding campaign. Milan's statement described him as 'one of the finest and most iconic players in world football', and the new deal suggests both sides believe there is still value in the partnership. In a summer of turnover across Europe, Milan have chosen stability in midfield rather than another rebuild.

Como have announced a major youth-development policy by banning heading in academy teams up to under-11 level, following consultation with board member Raphaël Varane. The former France, Real Madrid and Manchester United defender said the decision was shaped by his own experience of concussion, revealing that he suffered two serious head injuries at 16. Under the new rules, heading will be banned in training and matches for under-8, under-9 and under-10 players, while throw-ins in those age groups will be taken with the ball on the floor. It is one of the most striking safeguarding moves yet seen at a Serie A club.

The policy places Como alongside federations that are already tightening youth-heading rules, including England and France, and gives the newly promoted club a profile beyond results on the pitch. Varane's involvement matters because he is not speaking as an outsider: he finished his playing career at Como and is helping shape the club's long-term identity. In a league often focused on immediate transfers, this is a reminder that Serie A clubs can also influence the game structurally. Como are trying to build a modern football project, and player welfare is now part of that message.

Como have reopened negotiations with Chelsea for Trevoh Chalobah, with multiple reports saying the Serie A side have now tabled a fresh bid worth around €30 million including add-ons. The 26-year-old England defender is expected to leave Stamford Bridge permanently this summer, and Cesc Fabregas' club are pushing hard after earlier interest was rebuffed. Chelsea are believed to want around £30 million plus £5 million in bonuses, while Como's latest offer sits close enough to keep talks alive. The deal has become one of the clearest examples of Como's ambition since their return to the top level.

The move is significant because it would give Como a Premier League-tested centre-back while also showing that the club's recruitment model can attract elite-level names through money and sporting vision. Inter Milan had been linked earlier in the window, but their interest has cooled, leaving Como in a stronger position. Chalobah's willingness to join is also important, because it suggests the transfer is not just financially driven but also built around playing time and status. If completed, this would be another eye-catching Serie A arrival for a club that is rapidly changing its reputation.

AC Milan ended pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Celtic at Parkhead, a result that was notable less for the scoreline than for the performance of Camilo Duran. The forward scored once and added an assist in the first half, punishing defensive mistakes from the visitors as Celtic raced into a two-goal lead. Duran opened the scoring in the 11th minute after capitalising on Strahinja Pavlovic's poor back pass to goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani, then set up James Forrest after intercepting Samuele Ricci's loose ball. Milan recovered through Francesco Camarda's penalty and a header from Samuel Chukwueze, but the damage had already been done.

For Celtic, the game offered a final tune-up before the season begins, while Milan were left to reflect on sloppy defending and the impact of Duran's sharp movement. Martin O'Neill praised the striker's start to life in Glasgow, and the match provided a reminder that pre-season form can change quickly when a player settles into a new environment. The result also mattered because Milan are entering the campaign with expectations of competing at the top of Serie A after finishing fifth last term. Duran's emergence gives Celtic more attacking edge, while Milan's defensive errors will concern a side that cannot afford slow starts.

Manchester United's pursuit of Manu Koné has become one of the summer's more complicated transfer stories, with Roma reportedly valuing the 24-year-old midfielder at around €60 million. Reports from Italy say United and Koné have already agreed personal terms in principle, but the Premier League club have still not submitted a formal bid, frustrating Roma as they look to complete any sale by 31 July. Koné's strong World Cup performances for France have kept him high on United's list, and the club see him as a key piece if they are to reshape the centre of the pitch before the new season. The delay is now part of the story.

The saga matters for Serie A because Roma are trying to balance sporting ambition with financial pressure, and Koné is one of their most valuable assets. United have been linked with creative options, including a possible swap structure involving Marcus Rashford, but the central issue remains whether they will move fast enough to beat the deadline. Roma's willingness to sell is not in doubt; their frustration is that the market has not yet produced the offer they want. If United do not accelerate, they risk losing one of their preferred midfield targets while Roma continue to hold the leverage.

Federico Chiesa looks increasingly likely to leave Liverpool and return to Serie A before the end of the transfer window. Reporting cited by Yahoo Sports Canada says the most likely outcome is that the Italy international will play for a Serie A club by the deadline, bringing an end to a brief Anfield spell that began at roughly £10 million. Chiesa arrived with the reputation of an elite forward capable of adding directness and international pedigree, but Liverpool now appear ready to make another squad decision in a summer of change. The move would be one of the more familiar Italian reunions in the market.

For Serie A clubs, Chiesa's availability would be attractive because he remains a proven top-level attacker with experience in the Champions League and at international level. Liverpool's willingness to move him on also reflects how quickly squad plans can change when new coaching ideas take hold. With Andoni Iraola now shaping the Reds, the club are making hard calls on players who do not fit the next phase. A Serie A return would give Chiesa a chance to reset in a league where he already knows the demands, and it would add another headline Italian name to a busy summer window.

Tarik Muharemovic has credited Juventus with helping prepare him for the Premier League after Leeds United completed a £34 million move for the Bosnia and Herzegovina centre-back from Sassuolo. The 32 appearances he made for Sassuolo in the 2025-26 Serie A campaign helped the newly promoted side finish 11th, but Muharemovic says his education began earlier at Juventus, where he joined from Wolfsberger AC as an 18-year-old in 2021. He never appeared for the first team, yet he spent nearly 100 matches across the club's youth sides and Next Gen team, learning from Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Massimiliano Allegri. Leeds have made him their second-most expensive signing ever.

The transfer is a reminder of Juventus' wider influence on player development even when the club does not keep the player itself. Muharemovic's comments are useful for Leeds because they frame him as a defender shaped by elite tactical schooling rather than just raw potential. For Juventus, it is another example of the academy and reserve structure producing value in the market. For Leeds, the £34 million fee is a major commitment, and the hope is that his Serie A background will help him adapt quickly to Premier League pressure. The story also reflects how Serie A coaching and youth systems continue to export talent across Europe.

Japan forward Daizen Maeda has completed a £10 million move from Celtic to Ipswich Town on a three-year contract, ending a prolific four-and-a-half-year spell in Scotland. The 28-year-old departs after scoring 79 goals in 212 appearances for Celtic and collecting five league titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups. Ipswich manager Gary O'Neil described the signing as one that adds pace, pressing and experience to a squad preparing for the Premier League. Maeda said he had always dreamed of playing in England, making this a career move that comes after years of consistent output at Celtic. His record shows why Ipswich were willing to pay up.

The transfer matters to Serie A indirectly because Celtic's squad rebuild, and the wider European market, now has another moving piece after one of their most reliable forwards left. Maeda's exit also shows how clubs outside the top five leagues are still able to extract meaningful fees for established performers, with Ipswich paying a sum that reflects his goal record and trophy haul. For Celtic, replacing 79 goals is no small task; for Ipswich, the signing is an attempt to add a player with proven big-club habits and a strong work rate. It is one of the more straightforward, high-certainty deals of the day.