Not everyone is outraged by the decision to abolish the Growth Order, with agent Federico Pastorello claiming it is “unfair to Italian players and players already in Italy”.
The Growth Decree was a financial incentive that allowed clubs to save 50% on payroll tax for players coming from abroad, effectively resulting in them paying €1.5 million instead of a total salary of €2 million. Become.
It had been expected to be extended until the end of February, but news agency ANSA reported today that ministers decided after “intense discussions” to let the financial incentives expire on December 31.
The club considers this a disaster, but the Italian players’ association and the Association of Football Agents support its abandonment.
“We at AIACS have always tried to fight against the way this law is written,” Pastorello told Sky Sports Italia.
“As far as we were concerned, it was unfair to Italian players and players already in Italy. There was a disparity in treatment that was too obvious and too large, so that the selection of players was based on economics rather than skill. became.
“In some cases, we saw players arriving in Italy who were less deserving than those who were already there. Thanks to this decree, the impact of foreign players on wages was not as great. There was a real risk of wasting Italian football’s assets.
“Having said that, we were proposing a salary level to which this statute would not apply. This could have rectified the situation and been a turning point, but instead the entire statute was allowed to lapse. It looks like it will happen.”
Asked if this would affect Italian clubs’ transfer strategies and their ability to compete with better leagues, Pastorello admitted it would be an issue.
“The answer is yes. Some players were only able to come to Italy thanks to the Growth Decree, and sometimes Italian clubs were able to offer Premier League sides even more favorable economic conditions. Without it, they won’t have the same bargaining power.
“But it should also be pointed out that we are now able to develop many Italian players who have suffered from the presence of so many foreign players in the league. Possibility of top players coming to Italy Although it may be a difficult moment at first due to the low level, it could be a winning strategy in the long run, as young Italians will have more chances to play in their home league.