Gianluigi Buffon believes that Serie A has become a “step” for players before moving to other competitions.
Giovanni Leoni from Liverpool became the newest Italian player who moved to the Premier League and joined Sandro Tonali, Riccardo Calafiori and Federico Chiesa.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also been associated with a move to Manchester City this summer, while attackers Giacomo Raspadori and Mateo Retegui – who have started the most recent world cup qualification against Moldavia respectively – have moved to Laliga and the Saudi Pro League.
Buffon, who is now the head of a delegation of the Italian football federation, believes that it is a positive sign to see players moving abroad, because Serie A is not the powerhouse it once was.
Calafiori is cooking for @ARSENAL pic.twitter.com/hwnljh34GC
– Italy (@Azzurri_en) 24 August 2025
“Today's football has changed and our evaluations must also change,” said Buffon Tutto Mercato.
“Serie A is no longer the reference point it was in the past, but we have become a springboard in relation to other competitions where players can really” arrive “.
“I think it is positive, because if you have six or seven players who play for the best teams in the world, it means that your national team will be at an increasingly higher level.”
Italy has upcoming world cup qualifications against Estonia and Israel, with the Azzurri third in group I after a 3-0 defeat against Norway in June.
Donnarumma can no longer be seen in a match since Paris Saint-Germain's Club World Cup Final defeat against Chelsea in July, but Buffon insisted that he is still an important part of the Gennaro Gattuso team.
“I am waiting to see Gigio and talk to him personally,” added the former World Cup winner. “I know that the coach has heard from him several times and they know what his future could look like, depending on his choices.
“Apart from this specific moment, Donnarumma represents a force for the national team.”