Lecce and Di Francesco the deal is done: Krstovic, sirens Premier

LECCE - The coach who will train Lecce in the 2025/2026 season, in his fourth consecutive adventure in the top division, does not yet have a certain face. But the hiring of Eusebio Di Francesco is reportedly getting closer. The head of the technical area Pantaleo Corvino and the sporting director Stefano Trinchera are continuing to weave their web with the aim of giving the new technical management to the Giallorossi team as soon as possible, and then drawing up the guidelines to follow in the transfer market, within the spending limits that the club chaired by Saverio Sticchi Damiani is used to respecting.

Yesterday, Lecce management intensified contacts with Di Francesco, both directly for some issues, and through his entourage for others. The negotiation seems to be in the final stages.

While we wait to know for sure who will coach the Salento eleven next season, as always happens in this period, with the bowls stopped, the transfer rumors are going crazy.

On the incoming side, there would be interest in Samuele Birindelli, full-back of Monza, tied to the Brianza club until June 30, 2026. The fact that the Pisan footballer has only one more year of contract could facilitate the operation.

It must be said, however, that the Tuscan player, 26 years old on July 19, prefers to play on the right, a position in which Lecce can count on Frederick Guilbert and Danilo Veiga. Considering that the Portuguese arrived in the January market, showing interesting potential, Birindelli's arrival would only make sense if the Frenchman, who has been the owner of the role, were to leave.

Another name that is being linked to that of the club from via Colonel Costadura is that of Alessio Zerbin, who will return to Napoli in July, after having played on loan at Venezia, a club he joined in January. If Di Francesco were to lead Lecce, it seems he would be happy to have the 26-year-old originally from Novara at his disposal again, who has made 20 appearances in the lagoon, 17 of which from the first minute and 3 as a substitute, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

Lecce could ask the Neapolitan club to loan Zerbin, but only if they obtain the right of redemption, in compliance with the policy pursued to date.

The player prefers to move on the left flank, where the Salento team will lose Jesper Karlsson, who will return to Bologna. On the same side, however, they can count on Tete Morente, coming off a positive season overall, and on Lameck Banda who, on the other hand, also due to injuries, has given little to the Giallorossi cause, despite the qualities that many recognize in him.

The name of the left back is Tommaso Augello, whose contract with Cagliari is expiring. The news, in this case, is that the Sardinians could offer him an extension, if the new trainer Fabio Pisacane wants to keep him in Sardinia.

While waiting for the registration of Lovro Golic, Slovenian central defender, born in 2006, to be finalized from the beginning of July, who is about to leave Roma, who used him in the Primavera team, rumors are bouncing around Argentina that Lecce is in talks with Racing Cordoba for the central striker Julian Ariel Vignolo. The boy, born in 2006, has a valuation of around one million euros. Sassuolo and Pisa are also said to be interested in him.

Meanwhile, the number of contenders to buy the centre-forward Nikola Krtovic is increasing. In December there was an attempt by Betis and Milan, who are still waiting. The Montenegrin has since entered the radar of Inter and Juventus, but above all Roma and Torino. Now the "sirens" have also arrived from the Premier League, with Leeds. Corvino, who was quick to point out that Lecce is in good health and has no need to sell the striker or other valuable pieces of the squad, is gloating as he anticipates another sumptuous capital gain, after that of Patrick Dorgu.