Lazio

Lazio’s transfer window saw few arrivals. Sporting director Igli Tare was able to bring in a forward in Liverpool Montevideo’s Emiliano Alfaro. The 23-year-old Uruguayan has played few games and rarely impressed, by all accounts. (-ve)

Another controversial transfer saw Antonio Candreva arrive from Cesena (with Simone Del Nero going in the opposite direction). Fans weren’t pleased with signing the wide midfielder after he had made comments regarding his inclinations for AS Roma 2 and a half years ago while on Italy U21 duty. The transfer represents the addition of another midfield runner to a side that require a creative deputy. (-ve)

Out: Sculli (a, Genoa), Stendardo (d, Atalanta), Cisse (a, QPR), Carrizo (gk, Catania), Del Nero (m, Cesena), Cavanda (d, Bari)

Lecce

Serse Cosmi strived to acquire Leonardo Miglionico from Livorno this window. He had the player way back in 2003 while managing Livorno. The player was one of the best defenders in Serie B, but it remains to be seen whether he can make the step up to the top flight. (-ve)

The 31-year-old Parma central midfielder Manuele Blasi had spent most of the season on the bench at Parma coming on for just a handful of times as a substitute. The Italian midfielder has failed to nail down a first-team spot at any club since leaving Napoli in 2008/09. (-ve)

Gennaro Delvecchio had been used regularly in Vincenzo Montella’s Catania side earlier this season, but now appears to no longer be part of the Sicilian teams plans. Delvecchio admitted he had re-joined Lecce in order to “give them a hand” in their relegation battle. He is an athletic midfielder who will run all game but has little in the way of craft and technique. (-ve)

Also returning to the club in the Salento is Valerij Bojinov who will come back to Italy after an unsuccessful spell at Sporting Lisbon. Any goals he can provide will be welcomed by the sinking club. (+ve)

Luca Di Matteo is a promising young Italian left back. The 23-year-old will move on loan, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to play in Serse Cosmi’s 3-5-2. (-ve)

Haris Seferovic is a 19 year old Swiss striker who has moved to Lecce on loan with an option to purchase on a co-ownership at the end of the season.

Out: Mesbah (d, Milan), Strasser (m, Milan), Bergougnoux (d, Nicosia), Ferrario (d, Parma), Pasquato (a, Torino via Juventus), Olivera (m, Fiorentina)

Milan

Alexander Merkel is half owned by Milan but was at Genoa as part of the co-ownership deal the clubs held. The Russo-German-Kazakh was called on to help the rossoneri out with their acute injury crisis after putting in some very impressive performances for the Ligurian club. Sadly he was injured almost instantly and there may not be space for him to play when he recovers. (-ve)

Rodney Strasser was also recalled from his season-long loan at Lecce to provide cover for the injury crisis, and just like Merkel is now injured. (-ve)

Left back Djamel Mesbah joined Milan and has slotted in straight away in the position vacated by the departing Taye Taiwo. The 27-year-old Mesbah made starts against Cagliari and Lazio, and has been very encouraging going forward but is yet to be tested in defence. His forward forays provide width for an otherwise narrow outfit. (+ve)

Maxi Lopez has been dragged through the mire this winter, he made a tearful goodbye to his home fans in Catania before the winter break and was expected to leave for Milan. Except, Lopez isn’t the bride that Milan CEO, Adriano Galliani, had hoped to snatch. Lopez joins on loan with an option knowing that he will play second fiddle to Ibrahimovic et al, and is unlikely to get much playing time before being sent back to Catania - where he isn’t exactly needed any longer either. (-ve)

Philipp Prosenik is an 18-year-old Austrian striker who has moved to Milan from Chelsea on a permanent deal for an undisclosed value. He will most likely be sent to a Lega Pro side or pushed into the primavera side. Chelsea youth team follower (@chelseayouth) has described the player as “tall, well-built … genuinely good off two feet and can head”, going on to call him “cumbersome but has intelligence in his movement”. His injury history is a little worrying, though, having already suffered two long-term injuries in two years. (-ve)

http://thechels.net/2011/08/injury-strikes-again-for-phillip/

Sulley Muntari moves from Inter. An awful, awful signing. Slow and old. The rossoneri have done their city-rivals a massive favour. (-ve)

Lucas Roggia impressed the Milan hierarchy suitably enough at the AUDI Cup last summer to secure a 12-month loan to the Italian club. The 21-year-old striker has only made 6 appearances for Internacional, though. (-ve)

Out: Taiwo (d, QPR)

Napoli

The hype that has surrounded the €11m arrival of 21-year-old Eduardo Vargas from Universidad de Chile has been unbelievable. Perhaps the hype is because Vargas has played in 44 games, scoring 25 goals and providing 11 assists, in 2011 alone - La U completed a superb treble of Apertura, Clausura and Copa Sudamericana. He will require time to settle, but time is a precious commodity. (+ve)

Out:Rinaudo (d, Novara), Mascara (a, Novara), Santana (m, Cesena)

Novara

Andrea Caracciolo joined Genoa in the summer, but a solitary goal in 12 appearances has given the management at the club an easy decision to send the 30-year-old striker out on loan. Novara look desperately unlikely to stay up and need as many goals as possible. Caracciolo has made 5 starts without scoring so far. The signs appear ominous, and Caracciolo could experience a second consecutive relegation. (-ve)

Giuseppe Mascara made just 2 starts and 7 substitute appearances for Napoli. At 32 years of age, he has been usurped in the side by younger more dynamic players and has now joined the Piedmont club on a permanent deal in order to try and find the goals they desperately need to keep them up. Sadly, Mascara has never been particularly prolific and has achieved double figures on just 1 occasion since 2006/07. (-ve)

Leandro Rinaudo has barely played for Napoli since moving from Juventus at the start of 2010/11 season. The 28-year-old centre back will need to recall the attributes that made him worthy of moves to Juventus and Napoli in order to plug the gaps that leave Novara with the worst defence in the division. The player even faced the shame of having his name misspelt on his shirt on his debut for Novara. The outlook is grim. (-ve)

Out: Giorgi (d, Siena), Meggiorini (a, Genoa), Pinardi (m, Vicenza), Labrin (d, Palermo)