Como Reshuffle Squad: Morata Leaves, Ricci Joins, Van der Brempt Heads to Sassuolo
Como are cutting and reshaping at speed as the transfer window ticks towards its close, with Champions League football looming and the squad being trimmed and tooled up in equal measure.
The club have officially sent Alvaro Morata back to Spain, where he joins Leganes on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season. A big name out, and a clear signal: Como are lightening the wage bill and clearing space in attack.
Transfers Out
On the right flank, Ignace Van der Brempt is also on his way. Multiple Italian outlets, including Sky Sport Italia and Sportitalia, report that Como have agreed terms with Sassuolo for the Belgian. It’s a loan now, but with an obligation to buy in June, in a total package worth €6.5m.
Sassuolo had been chasing Rafik Belghali from Hellas Verona as well, but the winger is now understood to be leaning towards a move to Torino, leaving Van der Brempt as the Neroverdi’s primary solution for the role.
Transfer In
While two players head for the exit, a key reinforcement has arrived. Milan midfielder Samuele Ricci turned up today to undergo his medical with Como, the latest piece in a rapidly evolving puzzle.
The deal is structured as a loan worth €1.5m, with an option to buy at the end of the season for a further €22m plus performance-related bonuses. A sizeable potential outlay, but one that underlines how central Ricci is to Como’s plans.
Milan had invested heavily in the midfielder only last summer, paying Torino €23m plus bonuses. Ricci, however, never fully imposed himself at San Siro, managing 34 appearances and a single goal in Rossoneri colours.
Now he walks into a very different scenario: a newly ambitious Como side, Champions League dates on the calendar, and a midfield in need of a conductor. The exits of Morata and Van der Brempt free up room and resources. Ricci’s task is simple, and anything but easy — justify that option fee and turn Como’s busy window into a coherent project on the pitch.
