Lecce is awash in light and shadow, and the transfer market is in turmoil. Sticchi Damiani: We'll respond to the fans' enthusiasm with action.

LECCE - Much has been accomplished, but there's still more to do. The final, crucial moves will help refine the squad in terms of both numbers and quality. President Saverio Sticchi Damiani, following the latest friendly match, which saw Lecce draw away to Monopoli, took stock of the situation ahead of the week leading up to the official start of the season with the Coppa Italia match against Juve Stabia, scheduled for the evening of August 15th.

The Giallorossi president, in particular, focuses on the transfer market: "The last signing so far was Sottil. It wasn't a trivial deal; it was a name the technical team had been working on for some time. Sometimes from the outside, it might seem like there's a sort of stalemate, but the truth is that negotiations take time, especially when pursuing names that attract the attention of multiple clubs. We're currently working on a central defender, following Baschirotto's departure. Negotiations here also have their own timelines, but I assure you we're working tirelessly, day and night. There are still some things to complete, but the squad is already largely complete and has been working hard since the start of pre-season."

The talk of the transfer market is also in the spotlight. As was widely expected, following the club's survival at the end of last season, there are several players whose tenure at the club could be over. These players have emerged in recent seasons and are inevitably attracting the attention of several clubs, both Italian and European. The name of Krstovic, the star of last season, who scored 11 goals in Serie A, crucial to securing survival, is a particular focus. The Montenegrin striker is the subject of numerous transfer rumors, but so far no offers have been received that would shake the club. "It's nice that our players are being linked with big clubs," says Sticchi Damiani. "There's Pierotti, who's in good form, and I read that he's attracting the attention of big clubs. Then there's the Krstovic situation, which, however, is different. He has expressed his desire to take a further step forward in his career. This doesn't apply to Pierotti, for example. Krstovic can leave Lecce if the conditions are satisfactory for all parties involved in the transaction—the club and the player—otherwise, we'd be happy to keep him.

Regarding on-field matters, the Giallorossi president commented on the friendly draw against Monopoli, emphasizing how the comeback can be a lesson ahead of the start of the official season: "First of all, I thank Monopoli for their hospitality. We would have liked to play this match in front of their fans, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible. It was a final important test. In the first half, I saw a focused Lecce, while in the second half, the team changed its tune. I'm not focusing on individual players, but on the overall attitude. We probably went onto the pitch with the idea that after the two-goal lead, everything would be easy, but this will serve as a lesson for us. It was a good first half, then in the second half, there was a sense of superiority that can sometimes lead to unpleasant surprises, and that's what happened. This match will be a great lesson."

Finally, Sticchi Damiani emphasizes the record-breaking first phase of the season ticket renewal campaign, which concluded with over 16,000 subscriptions already paid: "We've received a wonderful signal from our fans in this first phase, reaching a number we've never seen before in our history. Our fans have responded with action, and we'll try to respond with action, too. We want to do good things."