We'll start our latest transfer update in Serie A where Inter have wrapped up the signing of Diego Milito, a move long mooted, on a four year contract. As part of this deal, Italian U-21 striker Robert Acquafresca moves to Genoa, a slightly disappointing move by Massimo Moratti as it only adds ammunition to those who say Inter have no interest in developing young native talent. Acquafresca has impressed in two seasons at Cagliari and should prove a decent replacement for Milito, who scored 24 goals for the Grifone last season on his return to Genoa. His former team-mate, Thiago Motta, could yet follow him to the San Siro. Cagliari have moved to replace Acquafresca by signing Brazilian striker Nenê for €4.5m, who was the top scorer in the Portuguese league last season in his debut campaign with Nacional.
Elsewhere in Italy, Roma have completed the permanent signing of full-back Marco Motta from Udinese for €7m, and Bosko Jankovic, who had an eye catching season on loan at Genoa from Palermo, has made his move permanent. Olof Mellberg has ended his brief stay with Juventus after a moderately disappointing campaign by moving to Olympiakos for €2.5m, while AC Milan have sent their exciting young Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on loan to Lille. Promoted Bari have signed veteran striker Antonio Langella from Udinese.
In Spain, Espanyol are continuing to ring the changes in their squad, capturing Israeli striker Ben Sahar and Celtic's Japanese midfielder Shunshuke Nakamura, who in my opinion is a follower of the Ian Harte school of football; rubbish, except for free kicks. Regardless, they appear determined to erase memories of last season's close shave. Ernesto Valverde is another manager transforming his squad, with the news this week that Nihat Kaveci has moved to Besiktas for €4.5m. Nihat, who for so long has been the lynchpin of the yellow submarine, will leave a big whole in their squad. Also deemed surplus to requirements was the mercurial Chilean playmaker Matias Fernandez, who has moved to Sporting Lisbon also for €4.5m. Also moving to Portuguese giants is Javier Saviola, who is moving from the Real Madrid bench to the Benfica bench.
Malaga have seen one of their stars move on, with Portuguese winger Eliseu transfer to Lazio while Mallorca fans will have been met by the rather unpleasant surprise of seeing their star player, the Venezuelan Juan Arango, captured by Borussia Mönchengladbach. Valencia have signed Almeria defender Bruno on a free transfer, and promoted Real Zaragoza have pounced on Deportivo's precarious finances by signing the impressive Angel Lafita for €3m. In managerial news, Racing Santander have replaced Juan Ramon Muniz with Juan Carlos Mandiá, a former Real Madrid Castilla trainer who led Hercules to 4th in the Segunda last season. Muniz has returned to Malaga after Antonio Tapia left for his next 'project' - relegated Real Betis. Finally, in Portugal, Benfica have replaced the unsuccessful (and fired) Quique Sanchez Flores (or 'Spanish Phil Brown' as I like to call him) with former Sporting Braga coach Jorge Jesus.
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