Sassuolo and Domenico Berardi are finalizing a new contract, while the management has earmarked Armand Laurienté to eventually replace Giacomo Raspadori. The Euro 2020 winner had suggested he was staying this summer by switching to no.10. Things have been quiet around him on the transfer market recently. The announcement could come as soon as today.
The Neroverdi unearthed the forward in 2010, and he debuted in 2012. He went on to feature in 327 matches and scored 121 goals. He was on the verge of joining Fiorentina last summer, but the Emilian side reeled him in at the 11th hour. Juventus, Roma and Milan alternatively eyed him. He will ink a five-year contract and earn €3M annually, Tuttomercatoweb reports.
While Sassuolo will hold onto Berardi, they will need another offensive weapon if Raspadori joins Napoli, and they have shortlisted Laurienté. The 23-year-old winger has starred for Lorient in the last three seasons. He has logged 12 goals and 12 assists in 89 appearances.
Torino had set sights on the Frenchman earlier this summer. However, they eventually landed Nikola Vlasic and Aleksey Miranchuk instead. The Neroverdi already added Andrea Pinamonti and Agustin Alvarez but are thinner on the flanks. Hamed Traoré is nursing a foot fracture and will return in October.
Our Take on Sassuolo Retaining Berardi and Pursuing Laurienté
It’s a shame that the attacker may end his career without ever playing on bigger stages. Milan could have used him since they don’t have great options there, while Juventus needed somebody to deputize Angel Di Maria, on top of playing with him. But his price tag has generally always been too high since he’s not a youngster. But maybe a bonafide star, as he proved to be in 2021/2022, could have been worth the investment.
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