Giaccherini: Juventus should ‘pay’ Nico Williams clause, Napoli better than Milan

Former Italy midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini says Juventus should pay Nico Williams’ release clause if Federico Chiesa leaves and believes Napoli will finish ahead of Milan next season as Paulo Fonseca is not on the same level as Antonio Conte.

Former Juventus and Napoli winger Giaccherini previewed the upcoming Serie A campaign in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Giaccherini reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals with Italy’s national team playing alongside Thiago Motta, who has recently been appointed as the new Juventus coach.

“He didn’t talk much, but when he did so, you had to be worried,” Giaccerini said, talking about his ex-teammate.

“In fact, everyone remained silent and listened to him. Thiago has an incredible personality and reached a historic qualification for the Champions League with Bologna, playing incredible football.”

Can Juventus return to greatness with the ex-Italy international in charge?

“I am confident,” Giaccherini replied.

“If he’s able to transmit his ideas and adapt them to Juventus players, we’ll see an entertaining and successful Juventus. Giuntoli knows football well. He wanted Thiago because Juventus didn’t win much with Allegri and didn’t play well. Winning is all that counts at Juventus, but times have changed and a good playing style helps.”

The Bianconeri have already announced three new signings and are working on a deal to sign Teun Koopmeiners. Federico Chiesa is on the market, and Giaccherini has a clear idea of who should replace the Italian.

“If I were Juventus and Chiesa left, I’d pay Nico Williams’ release clause,” he said.

Conte once said that if Giaccherini was called ‘Giaccherinho’, he would have received more recognition from fans and media.

“What if Cambiaso was called Cambiasinho?” argued the ex-winger.

“Andrea was the best Juventus player last season and he was helpful in many different ways. You’ll see that with Thiago Motta, even Locatelli will be a different player. He must have 100 touches per game.

The most influential coach in Giaccherini’s career, Antonio Conte, has been appointed by Napoli and Giak has great expectations.

“Antonio can do anything, he’s a winner,” he said.

“Let’s see how the transfer window ends and who will stay. Surely, Conte is an added value. Napoli will be on fire every Sunday, they’ll be flying, as it happened to us in 2011-12. We were not the best, but Conte transformed us and gave us great intensity. He will valorise everyone, starting with Lindstrom.”

The interview was released before reports emerged that the Partenopei were trying to sell the Denmark international to make room for Mason Greenwood.

“In Conte’s second season at Juventus, when we returned to the Champions League, he would inform us about what time we had to train only at the last moment,” continued Giaccherini.

“Monte Carlo is close to Turin, and he didn’t give us a weekly schedule, so we could not organise any activity in advance. He wanted us to focus on football only.”

The ex-winger, now a Serie A pundit, believes that Napoli will finish above Milan in the Serie A table next season.

“During his time at Roma, Fonseca didn’t prove to be a winner like Conte. I see Milan behind Inter, Juve and Napoli, especially in defence. Fonseca wants to dominate proceedings, but he’ll have to find a good balance, especially in defence.”