Cagliari have finally landed their midfield targets. Harry Winks and Jacopo Fazzini have touched down on the island, with the duo set to put pen to pa...
Cagliari have finally landed their midfield targets. Harry Winks and Jacopo Fazzini have touched down on the island, with the duo set to put pen to paper after separate moves from Leicester City and Empoli respectively. For a club that spent last season fighting the drop, this is a statement of intent from the board.Let's start with Winks. The former Tottenham man is a curious case. He was once the neat, tidy metronome for England, but his career path has meandered through a tough spell at Leicester and a loan at Sampdoria. Now he returns to Italy, a league that suits his technical style far more than the relentless pace of the Premier League. Can he recapture the composure that made him a trusted deputy for Mauricio Pochettino The raw materials are still there: sharp passing, good close control, and an ability to read the game from deep. But he needs minutes, and he needs consistency.Fazzini, by contrast, is the raw product of Italian youth football. He is a box to box runner with an eye for goal, the kind of player who thrives in transitional play. Empoli fans will tell you he can be a handful when given licence to roam, but he lacks the defensive discipline to play in a low block. That is where Claudio Ranieri comes in. The veteran manager has a knack for drilling shape into attackers while letting creative players breathe. If he can teach Fazzini when to press and when to sit, Cagliari might have unearthed a gem.There is a real emotional edge to this double deal. Winks was not shy about his desire to return to Serie A, telling GoalZaza that he is "happy to be back in Italy." That kind of player buy in is vital for a club like Cagliari, who rely on unity and grit rather than sheer financial muscle. Fazzini, meanwhile, is a local boy in spirit if not in birth. His energy should endear him to the Curva Sud almost immediately.The question now is whether this midfield pairing can gel quickly. Ranieri needs to turn the Sardegna Arena into a fortress if they are to avoid another season of squeaky bum time. Winks will take the ball off the centre halves and dictate tempo. Fazzini will chase lost causes and make late runs into the box. It is a classic pairing: brains and brawn, patience and panic. If it clicks, Cagliari might just have bought themselves a comfortable mid table berth. If it does not Well, the vultures will circle fast in Serie A.
