Sacchi predicts Serie A title winners and rates the best transfer business

FLORENCE, ITALY – MARCH 23: Italian Football Youth Coordinator Arrigo Sacchi during a training session ahead of their EURO 2012 qualifier against Slovenia at Coverciano on March 23, 2011 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Arrigo Sacchi has made a series of predictions of how he sees the 2025-26 Serie A season going now that the summer transfer window has come to an end, including his favourite for the Scudetto, who he thinks has done the best business, and who he thinks will end up as this season’s Capocannoniere. 

The legendary coach gave an in-depth interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport, published on Wednesday. 

Sacchi claims Napoli favourites for Serie A title

Suffice to say, Sacchi is expecting big things from Antonio Conte and Napoli this season. He feels that the Partenopei are the favourites to win the title after their Scudetto success last season, and also feels that they have signed the best player and done the best overall business this summer. 

“I’m not a fortune teller by trade, but I’ll go out of my way and say Napoli,” Sacchi said when asked to predict the winner of the 2025-26 Serie A title. 

And again, when asked who he thinks has done the best business in Serie A this summer, Sacchi replied: “Without a doubt, Napoli. They’ve signed players who fit the way the coach wants to play. That’s how it should be done. 

“The only unknown element is their double commitment. The squad is big and can take on both the league and Coppa Campioni, but international matches are like leeches: They suck the blood out of you, you lack energy in your legs and in your mind.” 

And for the hat-trick, Sacchi was asked which club brought in the best player during the Serie A transfer window. 

“Napoli did: De Bruyne is a phenomenon, he’s already shown that at Manchester City, but he’s also a serious professional and a leader.” 

He feels that the division’s top scorer will not be a Partenopei player, though. 

“I’m betting on Kean, as long as Fiorentina play to his strengths and he makes himself available,” he predicted. 

Sacchi was also asked which Juventus striker he would pick as his first choice, now that the Bianconeri have Jonathan David, Lois Openda and Dusan Vlahovic at their availability. 

“I don’t know who Tudor will choose, but I know who I would choose. I’d say Vlahovic because he knows the Italian league, he doesn’t need to adapt, and in my opinion, he also wants to show that he is a good centre-forward.” 

And finally, Sacchi joined the long list of coaches who feel that the summer transfer window should not still be open after the start of league fixtures. 

“I think it’s crazy. How do you expect a coach to prepare the team for a game if he doesn’t even know which players he will have available? As always, it needs a bit of common sense, a rare commodity in the world of football.”