At the Fanta auction, a new signing is called, the hype is through the roof, and with bid after bid, you end up spending more than you should. It's a scenario everyone (or almost everyone) has experienced, and one we'll try to avoid this year.
Now, let's look at two different lists: players you can pick up without "breaking the bank" and those you should avoid in Fanta.
Who to take… at the "right" price
HOJLUND, LUCCA AND LANG
At Napoli, you need to pay attention to the situation in attack: the arrival of Hojlund reduces Lucca's appeal, but he actually fits Conte's current style of play better. The two will often be in competition, even though both can bring in several bonuses: the advice is not to pay either as a full 1st slot, especially since Lukaku should be available again around mid-season.
It's a different story for Lang: he hasn't yet entered Conte's rotation, as the coach is opting for a more conservative approach. You can pick him up, but at a "fair" price and not as a 2nd/3rd slot.
OPENDA
The goals and assists he provided at Leipzig are a guarantee, but his role at Juventus isn't certain: David and Yildiz seem to be regular starters, while on the right the competition could be between Conceicao/Zhegrova. Openda will definitely get some playing time, but you shouldn't focus on him as a 1st slot and, to be safe, not even as a high 2nd slot in attack.
PICCOLI AND DZEKO
In the last league match, Piccoli started alongside Kean, but this year he's no longer the main striker for his team, as he was at Cagliari. He also faces competition from Dzeko, and it's not certain that Pioli will always play with two forwards: in short, taking Piccoli as a 2nd slot could be risky. The same goes for Dzeko, even more so: he's not a 2nd slot that offers guarantees.
CAMARDA
The conditions are all there for Camarda to do well at Lecce, but beware of the hype factor: an excellent pre-season has raised his price, and on the last day of the transfer window, Stulic, a Serbian striker with great numbers at home, also arrived. He could be one of Corvino's "finds" who, regardless of absolute value, will take minutes away from Camarda.
KRSTOVIC
The move from Lecce to Atalanta reduces Krstovic's centrality, as for now he's come on as a substitute for Scamacca. Nevertheless, the Serbian will get his minutes, also because the Italian striker often has physical issues. He can be a second slot, but watch the price—don't pay for him as a high 1st slot.
IMMOBILE
Started the season and immediately got injured: Immobile knows how to score and will do so, as long as he stays physically fit. Paying "King Ciro" as a 2nd slot can be risky, especially since he faces competition from Castro and Dallinga.
MODRIC
Modric's name speaks for itself and expectations are sky-high: be careful not to pay for the player's status. At the start of the season, he has been deployed as a deep-lying midfielder, even though he's tried some shots: he's not a top player in his department but can be a quality 3rd slot, or at most a low 2nd slot.
ZANIOLO
Primi scatti in bianconero 📸 pic.twitter.com/mU0SMIEp7e
— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) September 2, 2025
Zaniolo will be listed as a midfielder but should play as one of Udinese's two forwards: a reason that could make people overpay for him. Making Zaniolo your first choice in midfield could be a gamble, given the competition and his recent seasons.
Who to avoid
RICCI AND JASHARI
Milan's midfield is very crowded and neither Ricci nor Jashari are Fanta profiles. The Italian defensive midfielder scores few goals and picks up many yellow cards, while the Swiss can play as a mezzala, but in this case faces fierce competition from Rabiot, Loftus-Cheek, and Fofana. Moreover, Allegri has said he also sees him as a "regista": a terrible mix for Fanta.
NZOLA
In the first two matches with Pisa, he hasn't started, even though he scored 6 goals in the last Ligue 1. At the auction, you risk paying for Nzola's past instead of his potential, since (for now) Meister seems to be the starter.
LUIS HENRIQUE
Don't be fooled by the team's reputation: Inter is betting heavily on Dumfries and Luis Henrique is just a backup on the wing, at most he might come on as an attacking winger as he did at the end against Torino. He could be a pick to complete your squad after you've secured the starters.
ANJORIN
Among Torino's midfielders, Anjorin might struggle: not offensive enough to play up front but too "light" to hold down a two-man midfield for an attacking team. In this sense, the signing of Asllani will further reduce the space for the player signed from Empoli.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
📸 Marco Luzzani – 2025 Getty Images
