Alesndro Galeni has been the Chief Strategy Officer of Galeni Genoa since November 2022. The club has a fantastic past-Kaval Milan, Inter and Juventus have won more Siri A titles-but currently, Jenoa will have to work hard to live with large, better-published clubs. Recruitment and budget are important.
Here, Galeni shared seven truths how the transfer window works.
Number 1: Players are not commodities and are actually no such thing as ‘market rate’
Many factors go to determine a transfer fee: wages, contract length, age, position, whether a club needs to acquire a player or needs to be removed, what is the budget, and how far with the player. Galeni states that there is a premium for the reverse: an excessive athletic player may be able to improve technically and therefore may be worth investing. (Inverse – a very technically talented player who becomes a better athlete – is very rare.)
“By the age of 23, some players can physically improve, become strong, fitter and faster,” Galani says. “Some mature faster than others, you have to find out where they are on their development path.”
Also, he quotes Meto RiteguiIn 2023-24, a player from Boca Juniors, Argentina, was acquired by Jenoa for € 12m, a year later Atalanta was transferred to the bonus € 22m Plus € 3m and now the al-Qadasiah € 60m in Saudi Arabia was transferred to € 60m, Plus € 7m. It is not that in space of two sessions, Ritgui has improved five times.
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Ritgui scored seven goals for Jenoa – not a large amount, but it was on a conservative side that did not necessarily provide the kind of service he needed. Atalanta felt that he would be far more vigilant in his system, which was attacking more and a lot of crosses were depicted. Genoa knew that Atalanta had some money to spend, so they were held for the best transfer fees. Ratgui became the top scorer at Seri A, proved himself in the Champions League and then left for a huge transfer fee for Al-Qadasiah in the Saudi Pro League, where the budget is even more.
In other words, progress in fees paid for their contract was not only a task of their growth as a player, but the result of a series of other factors.
Number 2: Ideally, teams can deal directly with clubs while transferring players, but sometimes they are better using middlemen.
Galeni says that within Italy, Genoa usually does not use middlemen, preferring to deal with club-to-club. But the game is global and only the largest clubs have a scouting appearance in contact with Mighat or in every league or in every continent.
He said, “We scout around the world, but we will not know what every team needs or what players from each club can be available,” he said. “A person will call us and suggests to players who can be available. Or they will ask about our players on behalf of other clubs. Usually we deal with middlemen who know one or two leagues well. In some markets where we have done a lot of business, we do not necessarily have to do not necessarily depend on personal relationships: Who you have faith and right markets.
“If I have, say, a promising striker in my youth team, who needs to go on a loan to get the first team football, I am not going to find out from the top of my head that what is called in the clubs, Austrian top division or French second division is looking forward. There are also clubs. “
Number 3: Managers, by requirement, think about a short duration, while clubs have to think moderate and long -term. You have to find a way to align these goals
The reality is also that unless you are in a very top club, your manager is unlikely to stay around for an extended period: if he does good, he will move to a large club and if he does poorly, he will be dismissed. Clubs such as Genoa are aimed at being competitive, but will necessarily look to bring players that they can develop and later make a profit change to help cover their operating expenses.
The manager has to fit into the strategy, and the club emphasizes that he has the profile of the manager he wants. Incidentally, he is not proud of the fact that Jenoa finished sixth of the clubs in the Big Five League of Europe, which for the first-team minutes played under 18 in the last season.
“We cannot take the risk of finding talent where large clubs find it, or acquire installed stars,” he said. “What we do, we give players a chance to grow and to demonstrate their growth. And, of course, we complete the team with old professionals who set a good example, reflect our values and provide us with harmony.”
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Number 4: Managers have to decide the profile of the player they want, and then clubs have to give them a list of options that fit the profile. You can’t fall in love with a specific player, and think only he can work
Most have heard the story Julian wanted to sign the brant, but the club pushed to Mohammad advice, and the rest, as they say, how is history about it. Coaches should know how they want to play and players need the qualities in their system, but it is important that they understand that the players are funny: If a target is out of economy, you go to the next location that fits the profile.
“A coach cannot start with a person they want, it should be with a profile and the reality is that there will be many players who fit that profile,” Galani says. “Within that profile, there is a group of options and you find one that is right for you.”
And, of course, it may not depend on the coach to choose the players: it is the work of the Director of Football (in Genoa, this Marco Otolini) and the scouting department.
Number 5: It is important for the success of a club to develop players and design the right path for them
Investing in players – both from your academy and what you sign – those who develop in your club will cost you less and either contribute to your first team or will leave for another club (and receiving a transfer fee). This is a major part of the reason that Jenoa has invested in a newly opened youth complex (Badia de Sant’nd) to help young players attract and maintain. It is not just about spotting upside down, either – it’s about a plan how you are going to develop that reverse.
“We had a very promising protector named honest Ahanor in the previous season,” he said. “He was with the first team in Presiden, and trained him throughout the year playing for most of the young teams. He performed most of his first team in the last month of the season, but showed us enough to move to Atalanta in this summer, which could grow up to € 20 million.
“Now, we could leave him in the youth side, or we could push him directly into the first team. But we believe that our plan allowed him to be favorable to play against the older men – he was 16 when he started when he started – and slowly growing.”
“This is an internal example, but I can also cite Sebstian Ottoa, a player we signed as a 20 -year -old man from AAB in Denmark in January,” said Galeni. “He did not play a single minute till April and performed only three first-team. We gave him a period of adaptation, and we hope that he would be ready to contribute this year.”
Finding a possible reverse is not just about the youth. It is also about identifying the players who have struggled elsewhere – whether through injury, or other reasons – and help them to resume their career. This also requires a route.
Number 6: Data is important in recruitment, as is to learn about live scouting and players on the pitch. You want to give data-rather than data-making, but it is necessary that no newcomer fits the club’s DNA
Galeni is strong about this. Genoa has more than 28,000 season-ticket holders and a fan base that is highly committed and demands commitment to its players.
“Intensity and the attitude of a fight is in the DNA of our club and it is equally important to us as talent and professionalism,” he said. “There are other clubs that have less emotional fans or low fans or where the city is more comfortable and some types of players are more favorable for the environment. If a player is going to clash by our fans, if he is going to react negatively to criticism, it is not the right place for him.
“One of the best examples is one of our captains, Johan Wazakwes, who has also captained Mexico. He is a leader and a warrior on the pitch, and he fits us perfectly from the moment he came.”
Number 7: You can look for players in traditional ‘Hotbeds’ – areas that have produced many successful players – but means more and more competition. You can also search for players in other markets, where fewer contestants are watching, but you have to get the remaining amount
“We have found that the Nordic market, especially Danish and Norwegian, fit our DNA,” says Galeni. “And, of course, the more we work in those markets, the more we know them and the more they know us.”
From Morten Friendrap to Mikel Alertson to Morten Thorsbi, a pipeline is seen for Genoa Scandinavia, and it works for them. You have to live on an open mind, but there is nothing wrong in going back to what you know.
