Cagliari Transfer Market: A Showdown with English Clubs Over a Top Free Agent

Cagliari has been very active in this transfer window so far, and Tommaso Giulini has bolstered the team with the signings of Jacopo Fazzini, Alessandro Romano, Kingstone Mutandwa, Demi Akarakiri, Harry Winks, and Raphael Kofler—to whom a forward could soon be added.

Fabio Pisacane has, in fact, asked the Sardinian club’s management for another option up front, and so far the club’s efforts have focused on Kevin Carlos of Nice. The deal seemed to be in the final stages, but in recent hours the French club has raised its asking price due to interest from several Spanish clubs.

Should the Carlos deal fall through, Cagliari could go all-in on Bamba Dieng, a free agent center forward following his stint at Lorient. The Sardinians have been monitoring the 2000-born star for some time but must move quickly if they truly want to sign him.

Torino is also very interested in Bamba Dieng, but it is in England where the Senegalese player has his biggest admirers: Hull City, Middlesbrough, and Swansea are on his trail and could decide to make an offer as early as the next few days.

Meanwhile, Cagliari must also resolve the issue regarding Sebastiano Esposito: the rift between the center forward and the Sardinian club is now evident, and Atalanta has sensed an opportunity. Tommaso Giulini values Esposito at around 20 million, while Atalanta (which, in the meantime, is working on the transfer of Daniel Maldini to the Sardinians in a completely separate deal) has already expressed concrete interest in the striker.

New talks are expected shortly, with the sense that Atalanta wants to close the deal quickly to provide Sarri with a young player who is already ready to make the leap to an ambitious environment like that of the Nerazzurri.