UDINE, ITALY – DECEMBER 30: Lewis Ferguson of Bologna FC applauds his followers throughout the Serie A TIM match between Udinese Calcio and Bologna FC at Dacia Area on December 30, 2023 in Udine, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Pictures)
Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio praises the ‘nice mentalities and work ethics’ of the Scottish gamers he signed for the Rossoblu as part of a recruitment course of that leads them to take a look at leagues ‘which can be nonetheless accessible.’
Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson swapped the Scottish Premiership with the Serie A in 2020 and 2022 respectively, becoming a member of the Stadio Dall’Ara in a time of sporting and financial progress that culminated of their first Champions League in 60 years.
Bologna will journey to Anfield to satisfy Liverpool on Wednesday, after the 0-0 dwelling draw in opposition to Shakhtar within the opening match that marked their return to the key European competitors.
Di Vaio on Scottish gamers’ ‘nice’ mentality, Zirkzee and Calafiori
“We monitor gamers in leagues that play probably the most children, leagues which can be nonetheless accessible to us,” Di Vaio mentioned in an interview with The Athletic.
“Then we work out what sort of investments we need to make on gamers who’re 18, 22, 23, at max 24. That’s the concept, the goal.
“These offers (in Scotland) have been nice for us.
“We have been capable of get gamers with nice mentalities and work ethics. They provide 100 per cent each day. They’ve acquired high quality. They have been two very constructive surprises.”
After changing into Bologna’s first-ever Scottish participant in 2020 for a determine within the area of €2m, Aaron Hickey was offered to Brentford two years later for greater than €20m.
His compatriot Lewis Ferguson remains to be on the membership and has established himself as probably the most prolific Serie A midfielders over the past two seasons, scoring 13 targets from 63 league appearances with the Rossoblu earlier than sustaining an ACL damage in latest months.
Di Vaio additionally spoke in regards to the evolution of Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee, two extra gamers who made Bologna’s fortune final season earlier than becoming a member of Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United in profitable offers.
“We signed Riccardo [Calafiori] to cowl two positions, we didn’t initially consider him as a starter,” Di Vaio admitted.
“We wished him to develop behind Jhon Lucumi at centre-back and Victor Kristiansen at left-back however when he started enjoying within the center, he interpreted the position as a full-back would however with the defensive consciousness, physicality and focus wanted from a centre-back.
“Our job [with Zirkzee] and that of the coach was to make him enhance when it got here to his depth in video games, to at all times be current in them and decisive.
“After fairly a tough first 12 months, the strides he made in his second have been unbelievable, notably mentally. He can play wherever. He’ll make a distinction within the Premier League.”
