The old guard earned Serie B with records and is now proving they are worth it. The strong core of Catanzaro he has a contractual horizon that goes beyond this season. With last year’s promotion, many elements triggered the automatic extension for another year: the club had taken a long view – linking the duration of the constraints to the results on the field – and can now imagine the most immediate future with a certain calm. It is the product of the programming carried out since 2022.
Taking a look at the most used players in the first part of the championship, only Ghion doesn’t know where he will play next year. The playmaker is a dry loan from Sassuolo who could return to the parent company on a permanent basis, so he is part of a different discussion that unites him with the others who arrived on a temporary basis this summer: Oliveri, Krastev, D’Andrea, Ambrosino, Stoppa, Miranda, Donnarumma and Veroli (the only one on which there is the right of redemption). The very owners (and not only them), from Iemmello to Vandeputte up to the coach Vivarini, all have deadlines of 30 June 2025.
Bomber and technician. Vivarini extended the deal before the deadline last June. Wise choice by the club and the coach himself: the continuity of the project proved to be the most solid reason for a sprint start with 18 points in nine days. Iemmello signed shortly after with a financial adjustment linked to attendance. The striker was among the leaders in Serie C, he rewrote some individual records of the third series and of Catanzaro, and in this Serie B he is starting to make his qualities count a lot: the assist for Brignola in Genoa, the three-point goal points to Bolzano, especially the intelligence that allows him to have movements that are difficult for any opponent to read. Two goals and two assists so far in the league after a start slowed down by a sprained ankle: be careful though, the number 9 is a diesel and last year he scored most of his 31 goals in total (in different competitions) from January onwards .
Senators. The promotion extended the agreements with the other veterans and pillars of the dressing room, to which a couple of summer additions were then added: Scognamillo, Verna, Fulignati, Situm, Brighenti, Biasci, plus Pontisso, Brignola and Katseris in addition to Vandeputte, who had expires 2025 since he was bought out by Vicenza for half a million. Between July and August, Pompetti, purchased from Inter, the defender Krajnc and the third goalkeeper Borrelli, taken from Ostiamare and the only one to be tied until 2026, were signed up. Having an agreement valid for at least two more seasons does not mean that everyone how many will be sure of the Giallorossi next year too – the market is always a story in itself – but it means that, whatever decision is made, the club will at least not lose out. If he then wants to sell someone to monetize, make the dissatisfied leave or use them as compensation is a different thing, but the basis (i.e. the agreement) remains and in the months to come he can avoid any stomach aches on the part of those who are expiring. The next? From the promotion group, the second goalkeeper Sala, Bombagi and Welbeck have a release date of 30 June 2024. Sports director Magalini will try to place the latter two elsewhere in January after unsuccessful attempts in August. The same fate, but from July onwards, will befall Curcio, loaned to Casertana (he has a contract until 2025). As for the goalkeeper, we’ll see later. Among the veterans of the promotion, Sounas would also be out of contract, with whom there is the idea of an extension which could be realized without too much time passing. After all, the Greek also proved to be useful in Serie B and not just for the goal he scored in Bari, so he could (should?) be the next to sign.
