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It has been a period of upheaval behind the scenes at Juventus ahead of the 2019-20 Serie A season, with the defending champions preparing for life after Max Allegri.
Former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri has replaced Allegri in Turin, with big shoes to fill, as Juventus chase a ninth successive league title in 2020.
Sarri’s ties with arch rivals Napoli mean that he will already be starting with something to prove at the Biaconeri, with some sections of the fan base unhappy at his appointment.
Torino have opted to get their summer transfer shopping done as early as possible, ahead of the 2019-20 Serie A season.
Walter Mazzarri’s side were excellent in the end of season run in, in 2018-19, with just one defeat in their final ten games ensuring they finished inside the Europa League qualification spots for the first time since 2014.
However they were denied a place in the 2019-20 Europa League, after 8th place Lazio beat Atalanta in the 2019 Coppa Italia final.
The future destination of Matthijs De Ligt remains continues to dominate football headlines in Serie A – as the marquee signing in Italy this summer.
The Dutch defender has been courted by the defending Serie A champions, as well as La Liga winners FC Barcelona, Manchesyer United and French superpower Paris Saint-Germain.
However reports in Italy, and in De Ligt’s native Netherlands, have virtually confirmed his intention to head to Turin before the start for the 20192-20 campaign.
Despite the Segunda Division season extending into June 2019, attention will quickly turn to the 2019-20 La Liga campaign, with the three newly promoted sides.
Osasuna won the second tier title, with an eight point advantage over Granada, with both sides returning to the top of the Spanish football pyramid for the first time since 2017.
Real Mallorca’s dramatic play-off final win over Deportivo la Coruna brings to end an a six-year absence from La Liga for the Balearic side.
Eibar are set to continue their pragmatic approach to purchases, ahead of the 2019-20 La Liga season beginning next month.
Jose Luis Mendilibar has established a reputation as a bargain hunter, during his four seasons in charge of the Basque club, and he will be building a La Liga campaign on a shoestring once again.
One key difference for the 2019-20 however, is that they will not have to sell a star name, in order to bring players to the club – as has been the case in previous years.
With La Liga clubs spending in excess of €800m in June 2019, most sides are looking to settle down and prepare for the new season, which kicks off on August 18.
However, one club that looks to be just getting started in their transfer dealings is Villarreal, with around €45m coming into the club from player sales so far.
Manager Javier Calleja has allowed fringe players Roberto Soriano and Nicola Sansone leave to Serie A side Bologna, for a combined fee of €15m, whilst key midfielder Pablo Fornals has moved to West Ham for €30m.
New Espanyol manager David Gallego could find himself faced with a particularly unpopular decision to make ahead of the 2019-20 La Liga season.
Despite securing a dramatic last-day-of-the-season Europa League qualification, the Catalan side are likely to be be pursuing European football again, but without the budget to match their ambitions.
With that in mind, Gallego is likely to have to sell one of the club’s big names, in order to bring fresh faces through the door at the RCDE Stadium.
Getafe’s push for a Champions League spot at the back end of the 2018-29 La Liga season, was one of the biggest stories in the Spanish top flight.
Ultimately, Jose Bordalas’s side were pipped at the post by Valencia, with the side from South Madrid eventually finishing in sixth place, behind Sevilla.
However, despite the last minute stumble, Bordalas and his players still managed to bring European football back to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez for the first time since 2011.
Sevilla wasted little time in appointing a new manager following the conclusion of the 2018-29 La Liga season, with former Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui stepping into the hot seat at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
Despite a difficult 12 months, in which Lopetegui controversially left his post as head coach of the Spanish national team – to take up the post with Los Blancos – which ended poorly, after just three months, he is hopeful of resurrecting his career in Andalucia.
Caretaker boss Jaoquin Caparros’ strong end of season run secured Europa League football for the incoming Lopetegui, but there is still work to be done at the club.
Valencia boss Marcelino is following his in own path in preparations for the 2019-20 La Liga season, with a low key approach to spending.
Despite securing the financial boost of a second successive Champions League qualification at the back end of the 2018-19 campaign, and the former Villarreal boss is focusing more on players potentially leaving the club, than on new arrivals at the Mestalla.
La Liga champions FC Barcelona have been heavily linked with a €70m bid for Spanish international forward Rodrigo Moreno, with Serie A side AS Roma also reported to be keen on the former Benfica star.
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