Lecce and the midfield, the big moves begin

LECCE - While waiting (though recovery time is still long) for Filip Marchwinski to return to action after the serious injury suffered in the second half of last season, Lecce has called up seven midfielders for medicals and tests scheduled for tomorrow: Medon Berisha, Lassana Coulibaly, Thorir Helgason, Mohamed Kaba, Balthazar Pierret, Hamza Rafia, and Ylber Ramadani. They are joined by Olaf Gorter and Niko Kovac, brought in from the Primavera to be evaluated by Eusebio Di Francesco.

We asked Claudio Luperto, a former midfielder for the Giallorossi team, a Lecce native who grew up in the youth academy of his hometown club and has coached the club's youth academy on several occasions, to analyze the prospects of the current midfielders in the role.

According to Di Francesco's statement at his unveiling press conference, Pierret will be the team's playmaker or will compete for a spot with another playmaker who might arrive on the market. "The Pescara coach certainly had the opportunity to evaluate his characteristics by watching him at work last season," Luperto said. "If he gave this recommendation, he did so with full knowledge of the facts. Now he'll deepen his understanding of him during the training camp. The boy is tactically intelligent. In his first Serie A season, he had ups and downs, which is understandable. We'll see if he'll be competing with someone else or if he'll be decisively chosen, having as an alternative a player already in the squad who can adapt to the role. Pierret's performance, however, will also depend on the movements of his teammates, both in possession and out of possession. Football is a team game in which the performance of each individual is crucial, from the perspective of the collective."

There are those who are convinced that 2025/26 will be Berisha's season: "The Albanian was impressive in some matches of the 2024/25 tournament, but he hasn't had consistency, partly due to injuries that have slowed him down every time he seemed poised to make a breakthrough. He has quality and that hint of boldness typical of a young player who wants to make it. Di Francesco likes players with his skills. So, he could carve out a prominent niche for himself. It will then be up to him to make the leap in quality."

Coulibaly was a key figure in the team that secured a historic third consecutive relegation: "If the Malian maintains his 2024/25 performance, it will be difficult to let go of him. He was assigned various roles throughout the season, and he almost always responded convincingly. I think he can be a key player next season as well. However, when selecting a position, be it midfield or another, it's always important to combine players with different, and perhaps complementary, characteristics."

Kaba will be called upon to return to his pre-injury form: "It's difficult to return to top form after suffering certain injuries. So it's understandable that he struggled in the last tournament. Now, however, he'll have to prove his worth, presenting himself with great conviction. It will be crucial for him to complete the entire preparation period with the rest of the group. He can guarantee physicality and be valuable in both phases."

Helgason is an attacking midfielder, a role not found in a 4-3-3: "In modern football, attacking and defending are typically different. The Icelander could play as a midfielder with specific skills, executing the movements Di Francesco asks of him. In 2024/25, he had a significant impact on Lecce's path, when he was included in the squad list. The coaching staff will carefully evaluate his abilities during the training camp."

There are rumors that Ramadani and Rafia could switch sides: "The Albanian did well in his first season with the Giallorossi, despite having to replace a top player like Hjulmand. He struggled a lot in 2024/25, falling off the radar for a long time. The Tunisian was a key player for part of the season and then disappeared completely. I don't know if their fate is already decided or if it will be up to Di Francesco to decide what to do during the training camp."

Gorter and Kovac could also be in Bressanone: "These days, young players are given the opportunity to prove themselves and earn a place in the first-team squad. Who knows, maybe there's a new Dorgu among them."