Volleyball Modena is on the verge of a major personnel revolution that could cost over half a million euros – the key question is the fate of star Argentinian setter Luciano De Cecco.
💰 Financial Burden: €500,000 and Up
The club's management, led by the new owners – the Storchi brothers, is negotiating an early termination of the contract with the 36-year-old Argentinian, who has one year remaining on his contract signed in 2023. De Cecco's salary for the 2024/25 season is estimated between 300-350 thousand euros, of which the club has likely already paid half or slightly more.
Additionally, compensation for the cancellation of the contract for the 2025/26 season, estimated at around 200,000 euros, will be added to this amount. If potential financial incentives for the Polish club Norwid Częstochowa, which might accept De Cecco into its ranks, are also included, the entire operation approaches or exceeds 500,000 euros – a serious risk for a club with three consecutive years of losses.
🔄 The Deal: A Transfer Chess Game
To reshuffle its ranks, Modena has already announced the signing of Argentinian setter Matías Giraudo, who will be the second setter for the 2025/26 season. However, the club's main goal is to free up space for Amir Tizi-Oualou, a French talent who signed with KS Norwid Częstochowa, but whom Modena wishes to acquire.
In a strategic move, Modena is hoping for a player swap, trying to "place" De Cecco specifically in Częstochowa. This would financially relieve the Storchi brothers and facilitate Tizi-Oualou's transfer to Italy. The problem? De Cecco himself shows no interest in the Polish option – a move that freezes the entire deal.
🧱 Sanguinetti's Block – Second Front
An additional problem for the management is the middle blocker Giovanni Sanguinetti, who has clearly expressed a desire to leave the club due to technical disagreements, but the management is trying to convince him to stay, relying on his emotional attachment to the team from his hometown of Bologna.
⚖️ Revolution Now or a Reasonable Transition?
The complex financial and personnel picture puts the Storchi brothers before a crucial decision: to carry out an expensive transformation now, or to wait until 2026, when De Cecco's contract expires, and in the meantime prepare a serious selection with a long-term vision.
One thing is clear: Volleyball Modena is not just rearranging its squad – it is embarking on a risky strategy in an attempt to return among the leaders. Whether this financial game of nerves will be successful remains to be seen in the coming weeks.
Source:volleyball.itand materials in the Polish press
