How Genoa’s ownership trouble can lead to player exodus soon | OneFootball

Genoa have already started their campaign on a negative note and could be facing a bleak future after being put up for sale by the faltering 777 Partners.

The Grifone marked their return to the top flight last season with an admirable campaign that saw them finish in a comfortable mid-table spot, but they opted to sell some of the biggest stars in the summer, mainly Josep Martinez to Inter, Mateo Retegui to Atalanta and Albert Gudmundsson to Fiorentina.

To make matters even worse, Alberto Gilardino’s team has been unlucky with injuries, especially after losing Ruslan Malinovskyi for a lengthy period due to a nasty ankle injury.

But according to Calciomercato, the Genoa manager could finally get the market reinforcements he’s been yearning for in January. However, these arrivals could come at a certain cost.

The club’s CEO Andres Blazquez ruled out the sale of some of the club’s biggest names, but the source isn’t convinced, since Genoa’s squad only possesses a few names that can generate comprehensive transfer fees.

Therefore, the report identifies three players that could be sacrificed by the struggling Ligurians to raise transfer funds.

The first name on the list is Johan Vasquez who was one of the names pursued by Inter last summer. The 25-year-old has been a Genoa player since January 2022. The Mexican is a left-footed defender who can play as a centre-back, left-back or wingback.

CM then names young Belgian defender Koni De Winter who was bought from Juventus for €8 million, but his price tag has now reached €20, albeit his recent shaky displays could ward off some suitors.

Finally, the source pinpoints 23-year-old midfielder Morten Frendrup as the most likely sacrificial lamb. The Dane was one of the best tacklers in Europe last season, and even earned praise from former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

While Genoa could afford to turn down offers worth €20 million at the time, their financial situation has drastically changed by now, notes the report.

Michel Sakr | GIFN