2026-27 Serie A Summer Transfer Window Review & Power Rankings

The 2026-27 Serie A summer transfer window was not dominated by one club or one type of recruitment strategy. Inter approached the market like champions trying to refresh a successful squad. Juventus invested heavily to repair a team that finished only sixth last season.

AC Milan spent more than anybody else in Serie A but also lost Rafael Leão. Roma strengthened from a position of relative stability, while Como continued one of the most ambitious projects in European football after qualifying for the Champions League.

Then there was Fiorentina, whose enormous turnover made their summer feel closer to a rebuild than a normal transfer window. The window officially closed in Italy on September 1, 2026. Milan led Serie A spending at approximately €165 million, just ahead of Juventus, with Fiorentina, Roma and Inter completing the five biggest spending totals.

As with my Premier League and La Liga reviews, I am not ranking clubs simply according to how much money they spent. Last season provides the starting point. From there, I am considering arrivals, departures, squad depth, positional balance, and how convincing each team's overall construction looks after the window.

Inter won the 2025-26 Serie A title, with Napoli second, Roma third and Como fourth. Milan and Juventus missed Champions League qualification after finishing fifth and sixth respectively. That context matters because some teams needed evolution, while others needed far more substantial change.

Milan Spent the Most, but Spending Does Not Tell the Whole Story

The two most expensive new Serie A signings of the summer both went to Milan. Gonçalo Ramos arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth €74 million plus bonuses, while Diego Moreira joined from Strasbourg in a package that could reach €65 million.

Mario Gila also arrived from Lazio, while Otis Hutchinson came on loan from Nottingham Forest, and several returning players strengthened the options available to the squad. That looks impressive until the departures are considered.

Rafael Leão left for Galatasaray. Samuele Ricci joined Como. Santiago Giménez moved to Porto, Youssouf Fofana went to Sevilla on loan, and Christopher Nkunku also departed temporarily. For me, that makes Milan one of the hardest windows to judge.

Ramos should give them a reliable penalty-box presence, and Moreira could become an important attacking player, but replacing Leão is about more than replacing goals. His acceleration, carrying ability, and individual threat changed how opponents defended Milan. Milan spent aggressively, but I do not think spending the most automatically means they had Serie A's best window.

Inter Strengthened Without Destroying a Championship Team

Inter's approach makes more sense to me. Cristian Chivu's team won the league comfortably last season and also completed a domestic double by beating Lazio in the Coppa Italia final. Their summer therefore did not require a complete reconstruction.

Instead, Inter refreshed several areas. Curtis Jones arrived from Liverpool, Djed Spence joined from Tottenham and John Stones came in on a free transfer. Josep Martínez's goalkeeping group was reinforced by Ivan Provedel, while Manuel Akanji's move from Manchester City became permanent and Benjamin Pavard returned from Marseille.

There were meaningful departures. Denzel Dumfries joined Real Madrid, Yann Sommer left, Stefan de Vrij departed, and Davide Frattesi moved to Lazio on loan. Matteo Darmian also left at the end of his contract.

That is why I would describe Inter's summer as a controlled refresh rather than a straightforward strengthening. Dumfries will be difficult to replace because of what he offered physically and offensively from the right. De Vrij and Sommer also represented considerable experience.

But Inter retained the most important foundations of the team that won Serie A. Adding Jones, Spence and Stones should help rejuvenate different areas without changing the identity of the side. For me, they still leave the window as the team to beat.

Juventus Finally Built a Squad With More Solutions

Juventus had one of the most aggressive windows in Italy. Randal Kolo Muani returned permanently from Paris Saint-Germain, while Nick Woltemade arrived on loan from Newcastle United. Pape Matar Sarr joined from Tottenham, Jhon Lucumí strengthened the defence, and Guglielmo Vicario arrived on loan to reinforce the goalkeeping position.

Kerim Alajbegović, Zeki Çelik, Kamil Grabara and Jeff Ekhator were among the other additions. The remarkable part is how much attacking choice Juventus now possesses. Kolo Muani gives them mobility and experience. Woltemade offers something different physically. Ekhator provides another younger option, while Alajbegović adds creativity.

Dusan Vlahović left after his contract expired, while several players moved away on loan or permanently. Football Italia noted that Juventus brought in nine new signings while moving on numerous unwanted players without permanently selling a first-team player during the window.

I think this is a much more flexible Juventus squad than the one that finished sixth. The concern is whether all those options translate into a coherent team. Recruitment can solve depth problems, but it does not automatically solve tactical ones. Still, I think Juventus are substantially stronger.

Roma Strengthened From a Position of Strength

Roma finished third last season and returned to the Champions League. That meant they did not need the kind of emergency rebuild facing Milan or Juventus. Instead, their window appears designed to improve competition throughout the squad.

Santiago Castro arrived from Bologna, while Konstantinos Koulierakis strengthened central defence. Nahuel Molina came from Atlético Madrid, Rodrigo Mora arrived from Porto, and Donyell Malen's move from Aston Villa became permanent. Marten de Roon and Leonardo Balerdi were additional experienced arrivals.

There were departures. Artem Dovbyk went to Bologna on loan, Stephan El Shaarawy left after his contract expired, Angeliño moved to Deportivo on loan, and Neil El Aynaoui departed temporarily. But I like the balance of Roma's work.

Castro adds another striker with room to improve. Molina offers proven quality on the right. De Roon gives them experience and tactical discipline, while Mora adds another technically gifted attacking option.

Roma were already good enough to finish third. For me, they came out of the window looking capable of staying in the Champions League places rather than simply hoping to repeat last season.

Como Are No Longer a Surprise Project

Como finished fourth last season. That alone changes how their transfer window should be judged. They are no longer an interesting outsider simply trying to establish themselves in Serie A. They are now a Champions League club trying to prove that last season was sustainable.

Their response was ambitious. Trevoh Chalobah arrived from Chelsea, Yan Couto joined on loan from Borussia Dortmund, and Samuele Ricci moved from Milan. Moise Kean joined from Fiorentina, while Luis Milla and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez were among several other additions.

Como also reportedly spent heavily to secure the remaining ownership rights to Nico Paz. I like what they have done. Kean gives them a forward who already understands Serie A. Chalobah adds physical quality to the defence. Ricci gives them another midfielder comfortable controlling possession, while Couto fits an attacking style.

The challenge now is completely different. Playing Champions League football while trying to remain near Serie A's top four places will test depth in a way Como have not experienced before. But I do not see last season's fourth-place finish as a reason to dismiss them as a one-season story. The squad is stronger.

Napoli Chose Continuity Over Another Major Overhaul

Napoli finished second last season, although Inter eventually won the championship comfortably. Their summer was quieter than those of Milan, Juventus or Roma, but there were still important changes.

Rasmus Højlund's move from Manchester United became permanent, while Alisson Santos also completed a permanent transfer. Benoît Badiashile arrived on loan from Chelsea, and Lorenzo Lucca returned from Udinese.

Romelu Lukaku left for Fenerbahçe, while Miguel Gutiérrez departed and Giovanni Simeone's move to Torino became permanent. I do not think Napoli dramatically increased the ceiling of their squad.

What they did was preserve most of a team that finished second while making changes around its edges. Højlund remains particularly important. If he develops into a consistently decisive striker, Napoli should again compete close to the top.

There is less excitement around their window than around Juventus or Milan, but I would rather judge Napoli by the strength of the squad that remains than by transfer-market headlines.

Fiorentina Made the Biggest Gamble

Fiorentina may have produced the most fascinating window in Italy. They reportedly spent about €150 million, the third-highest total in Serie A, after finishing only 15th last season.

Radu Drăgușin returned to Italy from Tottenham, while Arthur Atta arrived from Udinese. Christ Inao Oulai strengthened the midfield, Franco Mastantuono came on loan from Real Madrid, and Giovanni Fabbian and Marco Brescianini joined permanently.

Beto arrived from Everton, Wilfried Gnonto joined from Leeds, and Pedro Gonçalves came on loan from Sporting. That sounds like an excellent window until the outgoing list is examined.

Moise Kean left for Como. Robin Gosens departed, Pietro Comuzzo moved to Torino, Rolando Mandragora also joined Torino, and Albert Gudmundsson left for Lazio on loan. Lucas Beltrán departed as well. Fiorentina therefore did not simply strengthen a 15th-place squad.

They replaced a large portion of it. The talent level looks higher to me, particularly with Mastantuono, Gnonto, Atta and Oulai joining the attacking and midfield options. But this may also be the Serie A squad that needs the most time.

Atalanta and Bologna Both Had to Replace Important Players

Atalanta added Gianluca Gaetano, Franck Kessié, Eljif Elmas, Victor Kristiansen and Jonathan Rowe. That is a good collection of players. The problem is what left. Marco Palestra moved to Chelsea, Marten de Roon joined Roma, and several defenders departed, including Berat Djimsiti and Honest Ahanor.

Kessié could become an important stabilising presence in midfield, while Rowe adds attacking potential. But losing Palestra and De Roon removes two very different but significant pieces. Bologna faced something similar. Artem Dovbyk and Roberto Piccoli arrived to strengthen the attack, Arthur Theate joined the defence, and Samuel Mbangula came in on loan.

But Santiago Castro moved to Roma, Jhon Lucumí joined Juventus, Remo Freuler left, and Jonathan Rowe departed for Atalanta. Both clubs remain competitive. I am simply less convinced that either clearly improved once the departures are included.

Lazio Had One of the Most Sensible Windows

Lazio did not spend at the level of Milan or Juventus, but some of their recruitment makes considerable sense. Davide Frattesi arrived on loan from Inter. Josip Šutalo strengthened central defence, Alfonso Pedraza joined at left-back, Andrea Pinamonti arrived from Sassuolo, and Albert Gudmundsson came on loan from Fiorentina.

Danilho Doekhi was another defensive addition. Mario Gila left for Milan, and Ivan Provedel joined Inter, so Lazio also lost important players. But I like the balance.

Frattesi should bring goals and running from midfield, while Gudmundsson adds creativity around the forwards. Pinamonti gives them an experienced Serie A striker. Lazio finished ninth last season. I think their squad now has a better chance of challenging for European qualification.

The Promoted Clubs Took Three Different Approaches

Venezia, Frosinone and Monza returned to Serie A for 2026-27. Venezia won Serie B, Frosinone secured the second automatic promotion place, and Monza came through the playoffs. Frosinone were particularly aggressive.

Nikola Moro's former teammate Romano Schmid arrived from Werder Bremen, while Florian Grillitsch added experience in midfield. Kevin Akpoguma strengthened the defence; Alessio Zerbin and Luis Hasa arrived from Napoli, and Daniel Bîrligea joined the attacking options.

Monza added Patrick Cutrone, Cyril Ngonge and Michael Folorunsho, alongside Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Gustavo Varela and several defensive additions. Venezia were also extremely active, signing Lorenzo Montipò, Toma Bašić, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Akor Adams and several others as they attempted to build a squad capable of staying up.

I think Frosinone constructed the most convincing squad of the three, but none can assume that transfer activity alone will make survival straightforward.

My Post-Transfer Window Serie A Power Rankings

This is not my ranking of which club "won" the transfer window. I am ranking the overall strength of the 20 Serie A teams after the market closed, using last season as the baseline and then adjusting for recruitment, departures, depth and balance.

1. Inter

Inter remain No. 1. They won Serie A comfortably last season and retained the key attacking and defensive foundations of that team.

Jones adds another high-level midfield option, Spence helps replace some of Dumfries' athleticism, and Stones gives Chivu an experienced defender capable of playing in several structures. Akanji remaining permanently is also important.

There has been enough turnover to create uncertainty, particularly with Dumfries, Sommer and De Vrij leaving. But no challenger did enough for me to move Inter below first.

2. Napoli

Napoli remain my closest challenger. Finishing second last season gives them a stronger starting point than Juventus or Milan, and making Højlund's move permanent preserves an important part of the attack. Badiashile should add defensive depth.

The loss of Lukaku changes the attacking options, but Napoli did not need to reconstruct their entire team. I prefer their continuity over assuming that larger expenditure elsewhere automatically produces a better squad.

3. Roma

Roma are very close to Napoli. They finished third last season and strengthened several positions without losing the core of the team. Castro, Molina, Koulierakis, Mora, De Roon and Balerdi provide considerably more variety.

I particularly like how the recruitment balances younger players with experienced Serie A performers. Roma look like a genuine top-four team rather than a club that merely sneaked into the Champions League.

4. Juventus

This is where Juventus' summer begins to change my assessment. A sixth-place team adding Kolo Muani, Woltemade, Pape Matar Sarr, Lucumí, Vicario and Alajbegović deserves to move substantially upward. They have more attacking solutions and better depth.

I am not putting them above Inter, Napoli or Roma yet because all three produced significantly better league campaigns last season. Juventus have to prove that the collection of talent works together. But I expect them to be much closer to the title conversation.

5. Como

Como ahead of Milan will probably be one of the more controversial choices. I think it is justified. They finished fourth last season and then added Kean, Chalobah, Ricci and Yan Couto while keeping the centrepiece of their creative project intact.

European football will place much greater pressure on the squad. Even so, I would rather reward a team that has already proved it can finish in the Champions League places and then strengthened than automatically rank a more famous club above them.

6. AC Milan

Milan's attacking ceiling is high. Ramos could become one of Serie A's leading scorers, and Moreira gives the team another high-upside attacking player. Gila also improves the defence.

But losing Leão matters. Ricci, Fofana and Giménez also left, while Nkunku departed on loan. I think Milan have enough quality to finish in the top four. I am less convinced that the squad is clearly stronger than the one that finished fifth.

7. Atalanta

Atalanta still possess enough quality to compete for Europe. Kessié, Elmas, Gaetano and Rowe are strong additions, and each brings something different. My concern is how much leadership and defensive continuity left the club.

De Roon in particular represented more than one position on a team sheet. Atalanta remain dangerous, but I see a larger transition than at the clubs above them.

8. Lazio

Lazio are one of my candidates to improve significantly on last season's ninth-place finish. Frattesi, Gudmundsson, Pinamonti, Šutalo, Pedraza and Doekhi address several different needs.

Gila and Provedel are substantial losses, but the overall squad looks more balanced to me. European qualification should be a realistic objective.

9. Fiorentina

Fiorentina could eventually look much better than ninth. The talent added is considerable: Mastantuono, Gnonto, Beto, Drăgușin, Atta, Oulai, Brescianini and Fabbian make this a very different squad. The reason I am cautious is the scale of the reconstruction.

They finished 15th last season and then changed a huge number of players. There are too many new relationships to assume everything will immediately work. The ceiling is high. So is the risk.

10. Bologna

Bologna remain inside my top half because the squad still has quality. Dovbyk and Piccoli give them different centre-forward options, while Theate strengthens the defence.

But Castro, Lucumí, Freuler and Rowe are significant losses. That is too much established quality leaving for me to describe the window as an obvious upgrade.

11. Torino

Torino quietly made several useful additions. Pietro Comuzzo and Niccolò Fortini came from Fiorentina, while Rolando Mandragora adds midfield experience. Kian Fitz-Jim, Nathan Patterson and Gaetano Oristanio provide further options.

They finished 13th last season. I think the new defensive and midfield pieces give them a reasonable chance of moving toward the top half.

12. Udinese

Udinese finished 10th last season and largely remain a team I expect to operate around mid-table. Unai Gómez, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Mërgim Vojvoda are useful additions.

Arthur Atta and Thomas Kristensen leaving removes two important players, however. I do not see dramatic regression, but neither do I see enough improvement to move them significantly higher.

13. Genoa

Genoa's recruitment contains several interesting attacking ideas. Hamed Junior Traorè arrived on loan, while Djibril Sow, Tommaso Baldanzi, Lorenzo Colombo and Cody Drameh were among the additions. Genoa also brought Stephan El Shaarawy back as a free agent shortly after the deadline.

Jeff Ekhator was an important departure to Juventus. After finishing 16th last season, I think Genoa now possess enough attacking variety to create more separation from the relegation fight.

14. Cagliari

Cagliari's window interests me. Harry Winks provides experience in midfield, while Jacopo Fazzini and Daniel Maldini add technical quality. M'Bala Nzola gives them a proven physical striker, and Roberto Gagliardini adds further Serie A experience.

They lost Gianluca Gaetano, but overall I think this squad has more options. Cagliari should again be competitive in the middle-to-lower part of the table.

15. Sassuolo

Sassuolo finished 11th last season but experienced meaningful turnover. Kieron Bowie, Vasilije Adžić, Benjamín Domínguez, Duje Ćaleta-Car and Ibrahim Sulemana were among the additions.

Andrea Pinamonti left for Lazio, while Tarik Muharemović also departed. There is enough attacking talent to stay comfortably above trouble. I simply think several teams around them made more convincing improvements.

16. Parma

Parma are difficult to rank because some exciting recruitment was accompanied by major sales. El Bilal Touré strengthens the attack, while Giovanni Fabbian, Giovanni Leoni's replacements, and Benjamin Cremaschi give the squad additional talent.

But Zion Suzuki, Alessandro Circati and Mateo Pellegrino were all significant departures. Parma generated more than €77 million in transfer revenue during the summer. I think they can survive, but their margin for error has become smaller.

17. Frosinone

Of the promoted clubs, Frosinone currently looks strongest to me. Grillitsch and Schmid bring experience and technical quality in midfield, while Akpoguma adds an established defender. Zerbin gives them another Serie A-level attacking option, and they retained several players through renewed loans.

They are still a newly promoted team. But compared with previous Frosinone Serie A squads, this one appears better equipped to compete immediately.

18. Monza

Monza have given themselves a chance. Cutrone offers a reliable focal point, while Ngonge and Folorunsho add players familiar with Serie A. Akinsanmiro and Varela provide younger upside, with several defensive players arriving as well.

The problem is that promoted teams rarely receive much time to build chemistry. There is enough quality here to survive, but I still see Monza spending much of the season near the bottom.

19. Lecce

Lecce escaped relegation last season and again look likely to face a difficult fight. Willem Geubbels, Yanis Issoufou's alternatives, Alieu Dembélé and Ivan Ilić give them some new options, but several loan players from last season returned to their parent clubs, including Francesco Camarda.

Lecce have repeatedly shown an ability to compete with limited resources. On pure squad strength, though, I have them in the bottom three.

20. Venezia

Venezia were the strongest team in Serie B last season, and their promotion was deserved. They also recruited heavily. Akor Adams gives them a physical attacking presence, while Montipò, Bašić, Bella-Kotchap, Juan Jesus and several other additions bring top-flight experience.

But Venezia also lost important members of the promotion side, including Issa Doumbia and captain Michael Svoboda. There are interesting pieces here, but compared with the depth available to established Serie A teams, I still think Venezia begin with the weakest overall squad.

My Final Verdict on the 2026 Serie A Summer Transfer Window

For me, Serie A's summer produced more uncertainty than a simple shift in power. Inter still have the strongest squad because the champions did not need to rebuild. Their task was to replace ageing or departing pieces without damaging what already worked, and I think they largely achieved that.

Napoli remain close because continuity matters. Roma may have had one of the most complete windows among the Champions League contenders. They strengthened defence, midfield and attack without tearing apart a team that finished third.

Juventus are the club I expect to make the biggest jump. Their recruitment gives them dramatically more depth and attacking variation. If the new pieces fit, sixth place should be nowhere near acceptable this season.

Como deserve to be treated seriously. Finishing fourth was already extraordinary; strengthening afterward with Kean, Chalobah, Ricci and Couto suggests the project has moved beyond simply being an interesting story.

Milan are harder to assess. Spending the most and signing the two most expensive incoming players in the league makes them one of the headline teams of the window, but selling Leão changes the entire calculation. I think Ramos can replace goals. I am less convinced anyone can directly replace what Leão gave Milan in transition and one-on-one situations.

Fiorentina made the biggest gamble. There is enough talent in their new squad to rise considerably from 15th, but turning that many new players into a functioning team is a major challenge.

That is what I like about this Serie A season. There are realistic questions around almost every contender. Inter have to prove they can maintain their level after changing several veterans. Napoli need to remain consistent.

Roma must handle Champions League demands. Juventus need to turn recruitment into results. Como have to manage Europe. Milan have to prove that their expensive rebuild works without Leão. The transfer window has given many of those clubs better tools. Now we find out which of them actually built the better team.