Former Italian FA President Antonio Matarrese feels that the signings of Romelu Lukaku by Inter and Paul Pogba by Juventus do not represent a focus on growth for the future in Serie A.
Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, Matarrese gave the view that while these arrivals may improve the league in the short term, there must also be a focus on young players.
Lukaku and Pogba are two of the highest-profile deals of the summer transfer window not just within the Italian top flight but within all of European football.
Both players return to Serie A following mixed spells in the Premier League, and in each case their arrivals are seen as opportunities for their respective clubs to improve decisively to push for the Serie A title.
Matarrese feels, however, that there is a risk of focusing too much on transfers like this and not enough on developing younger players.
“Pogba and Lukaku are well and good for helping the league grow, but we must also focus on developing young players,” he said.