28 November 2022
28 November 2022

Marino: “We want Becao to stay”

The club’s sporting director discussed the transfer window and more on Udinese TV

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Pierpaolo Marino discussed the way the squad has got back to training with the World Cup still ongoing. “Preparations are going well, but we don’t have the full squad back yet considering players are still on international duty and some injured players are recovering.”
 
Transfer window talk has got louder in the last few days, with particular focus on a possible departure for Bram Nuytinck, given that the defender has found his opportunities limited so far. Marino gave his take on the situation: “We know the January transfer window is particularly geared towards the unhappy players who’d rather play more and to the opportunities that are unpredictable at this stage. We’re in a situation in which we could make no changes and work towards our future, while other clubs will try to make a big impact in the transfer window, probably because they’re disappointed with their start to the season or simply to try to strengthen. If there are opportunities for the players who haven’t got much playing time, we’ll listen to the players’ thoughts and try to give them those opportunities.”
 
Another player at the heart of media interest in recent days is Brazilian Becao as negotiations over his renewal continue. “He’s a player who we want to keep,” admitted the sporting director. “We want to consolidate his place in our team, as we’ve done with Walace. We have a wonderful relationship with him and will try to do something in line with the club’s values.”
 
In terms of the impact of the World Cup in Qatar on the domestic season, Marino was keen to put things into perspective. “It’s more of a problem for other teams, but luckily but for us. We only have [Enzo] Ebosse in Qatar and he hasn’t played yet. We’ll need to work hard on his reconditioning. Other clubs might find it hard at the start because the players will be strained from a mental point of view after the competition that they’ve played in, rather than from a physical standpoint. Things will certainly be different when Serie A resumes compared with what we saw on the pitch in the most recent period of the season.”