From those who have lost their undisputed ownership to those who have reaffirmed their leadership. The end of the year was difficult for many leaders and now the spotlight is on the January transfer market
In football, as in life, it is often believed that certain bonds are indissoluble. Yet, 2024 is proving the opposite, turning into the year of great ruptures between the captains of many big teams and their teams. If the armband represents the symbol of leadership and belonging, for some players it has also become the sign of a bond that has now faded. Danilo Luiz da Silva at Juventus, Lorenzo Pellegrini at Roma, Cristiano Biraghi at Fiorentina and Davide Calabria at Milan: four different stories but united by a common destiny. Leaders who go and others who assert themselves again: Giovanni Di Lorenzo at Napoli is the symbol of how certain relationships can be mended and have a happy ending.
danilo luiz da silva
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Arriving in Turin in 2019, he played 156 games, scoring 8 goals and providing 10 assists. Captain since 2023, after the farewell of Leonardo Bonucci, he established himself as a worthy heir to the former Juventus captain and undisputed leader on the pitch and in the locker rooms. But with the arrival of Thiago Motta at Juve, everything changed. The new coach has upset the hierarchies, promoting a leadership system based on the collective rather than on individuals. In this scenario, Danilo slipped to the margins of the project even on the pitch, totaling just 578 minutes in the league. The absence on the pitch, the contract expiring in June 2025 and the club’s need to monetize have inevitably opened a transfer window for the Juventus player. Crucial hours for his future, Naples ready to attack.
Lorenzo Pellegrini
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Pellegrini’s story with Roma is that of a love born on the fields of the youth sector. A Giallorossi fan since he was a child, he realized his dream of wearing the captain’s armband of his favorite team, officially inheriting it in 2021. With over 300 appearances and numerous moments of glory, Pellegrini was a leader on and off the pitch. However, the relationship with the fans has become complicated in recent years. Criticized for performances that did not always live up to expectations, the Roma captain often found himself at the center of controversy. Despite the emotional bond that binds him to the shirt, Pellegrini found himself on the sidelines of Ranieri’s project and his future in Rome is now uncertain. The transfer rumors are becoming more and more insistent and a possible transfer could materialize as early as the next transfer window.
Christian Biraghi
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The captain of Fiorentina and the symbolic heir of Davide Astori, whose memory has always represented a guide for him and for the team. The full-back, who has made over 250 appearances, 15 goals and 34 assists, has experienced glorious moments and painful defeats in the purple shirt. Not just difficulties encountered on the pitch, but a relationship with the fans that has never been idyllic. Often targeted for some errors on the field, he has nevertheless managed to gain the respect of the public for his loyalty and his attachment to the shirt. Undisputed starter in his seven years in Florence, the change of technical leadership that arrived in the summer has broken the previous balance. Raffaele Palladino relegated him to the bench and, following some disagreements in training, the player has been missing from the Fiorentina squad for a month. His path is now written, there is still no certainty about the destination, but one thing is certain: it will be far from Florence.
david calabria
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Product of the Rossoneri academy, Davide Calabria arrived in Serie A on 30 May 2015 against Atalanta. Captain since the 2022-23 season, after the departure of Alessio Romagnoli, he has always shown attachment and dedication towards the Devil. However, the arrival of Emerson Royal reduced his role on the pitch, relegating him to the margins of the hierarchy, also due to various physical problems. With only two appearances as a starter in the month of August with Torino and Parma, Calabria seems (very) far from a possible renewal with Milan, therefore destined to close a long and satisfying cycle.
blue countertrend
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In a panorama of ruptures, the story of Giovanni Di Lorenzo represents a rare exception. After a turbulent summer, in which the relationship with the club seemed compromised, the Napoli captain found the strength to mend the rift. With an open letter to the fans and convincing performances on the pitch, Di Lorenzo won back the hearts of the Neapolitans and reaffirmed his leadership on the pitch. Sometimes true love really exists, it overcomes every obstacle and comes back to beat stronger than before. This was the case for the blue captain’s armband.
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