Como reshapes squad for Europe: Morata out, Van der Brempt to Sassuolo, Ricci in
On the shores of Lake Como, the late-summer transfer traffic has gone from steady to frantic. The Champions League draw has given the club a glimpse of the stage they are about to step onto. The response from the directors has been immediate: trim, tweak, upgrade.
And on this particular day, that means Alvaro Morata out, Ignace van der Brempt out, Samuele Ricci in.
Morata heads home – with a choice to make
Como needed to reduce numbers in attack, and the most high-profile casualty is Morata. The Spanish striker has officially joined Leganes on loan, a move that sends him back to familiar territory and gives all parties a season to reassess.
The deal includes an option to buy at the end of the campaign. No obligation, no pressure, but a clear signal: if Morata clicks in La Liga surroundings, Leganes will have first refusal on making the partnership permanent.
For Como, it’s a calculated release. One experienced forward off the wage bill, one slot freed in a squad that must be sharper and more balanced for the demands of domestic football and the looming European campaign.
Van der Brempt, Sassuolo-bound
On the right flank, another door closes. Multiple Italian outlets, including Sky Sport Italia and Sportitalia, report that Ignace van der Brempt is on his way to Sassuolo.
This is no simple dry loan. The agreement is structured as a loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season, for a total package worth €6.5m. Sassuolo commit now, pay later.
They had been looking at Rafik Belghali of Hellas Verona as well, but the winger now appears to be leaning towards Torino. So the Neroverdi lock in Van der Brempt instead, betting on his energy and versatility down the flank.
For Como, it’s another decisive cut. A player out, money guaranteed down the line, and room created for a different profile in that position.
Ricci arrives: a second chance to shine
While two players head for the exit, one quietly walks in for his medical. Samuele Ricci, the Milan midfielder, arrived today to undergo tests before sealing his move to Como.
The structure of the deal underlines both caution and ambition. A loan worth €1.5m now, with an option to buy at the end of the season for another €22m plus performance-related bonuses. If Ricci delivers, Como have a ready-made path to keep him long term. If he doesn’t, they can step away without being tied to a heavy obligation.
For Milan, Ricci had been a serious investment. They brought him in from Torino last summer for €23m plus bonuses, expecting him to grow into a central role. It never quite happened. He made only 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal, a return that never fully justified the outlay or the expectations around him.
Now he gets a reset. At Como, the stage is different, the pressure framed in another way. This is a club on the rise, building a squad to cope with the rhythm of Serie A and the glare of Champions League nights. Ricci walks into a project where minutes are there to be won and responsibility is up for grabs.
Como’s new shape
Strip away the numbers and you see the outline of a clear strategy. Morata’s exit lightens the attack. Van der Brempt’s departure to Sassuolo brings guaranteed income. Ricci’s arrival offers a potentially high-ceiling midfielder without immediate financial risk.
The squad is being trimmed, but not just for the sake of it. Places are being cleared with purpose. As Como stare at a season that stretches from league battles to Europe’s elite, the question is no longer whether they are active in the market.
It’s whether this bold reshaping gives them enough quality and balance to stay there.
