Cagliari Transfer Market: Gabriele Zappa’s Replacement Arrives on the Day Sebastiano Esposito Says Goodbye

It was a day of major moves at Cagliari. On the same day the club bid farewell to Sebastiano Esposito—who has officially joined Sassuolo—it also welcomed a new addition to fill the void on the wing left by the departure of Gabriele Zappa, who was transferred to Hellas Verona in recent days. The Rossoblù have announced the arrival of Riccardo Ciervo, a winger born in 2002, signed from Sassuolo on a loan with an option to buy through the end of the 2026–2027 season.

Born in 2002, Ciervo came up through Roma’s youth system, with a stint at Sampdoria and a development path that took him through Frosinone, Venezia, Südtirol, Cosenza, and Cesena. He arrives at Cagliari after a season in Emilia that saw him make 38 appearances, scoring 5 goals and providing 4 assists. A speedy winger, skilled in one-on-one situations and capable of playing on either flank, with a more attacking mindset than Zappa, Ciervo is the player the Sardinian club has chosen to bring unpredictability to Pisacane’s team.

Just as Cagliari announced Ciervo’s arrival, Sassuolo confirmed the signing of Sebastiano Esposito—also on loan with an option to buy through June 30, 2027—thereby bolstering its attacking options. A different kind of addition compared to a pure center forward like Pinamonti, who was transferred to Lazio: Esposito brings mobility, the ability to make runs behind the defense, and quality in the final pass—qualities that expand the attacking options available to the Neroverdi.

For Esposito, this marks the end of an important chapter with the Rossoblù: 8 goals and 6 assists during the season that secured the team’s survival, following a career that began at Inter and included stints with SPAL, Venezia, Basel, Anderlecht, Bari, Sampdoria, and Empoli. A journey that has allowed him to develop consistency and character, qualities he also demonstrated during his final season in Sardinia.