Football managers are perfectionists by their very nature and therefore satisfaction remains frustratingly elusive, even more so during the transfer window with its perpetual feeling that never enough has been done to address a team’s glaring issues.

To that extent, it was therefore surprising to hear Andrea Sottil proclaim himself perfectly happy with his squad as he prepares to begin his first season in charge of Modena after replacing Paolo Mandelli.

This was not the kind of passive aggressive approach Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho so delight in to force their clubs into action either. Sottil is one of Serie B’s most genuine characters, at times to his own detriment, so his remarks should be taken at face value.

“The squad was meticulously planned and studied down to the smallest detail,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport at the beginning of the month.

“My vision is perfectly in sync with the club’s, and I believe we’ll be a highly competitive side. We have signed all our targets, but we want to add another wide player.”

After a third consecutive mid-table finish, Modena have indeed left no stone unturned in their bid to make the play-offs.

Dutch centre-back Bryant Nieling has arrived from Eredivisie side SC Cambuur for £780,000, while experience has been added in the shape of centre-back Davide Adorni, right-back Francesco Zampano and goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola, who arrived on free transfers from Brescia, Venezia and Spezia respectively.

Elsewhere, Giovanni Zaro has signed for Cesena, while versatile forward Francesco Di Mariano signed from Palermo in a £390,000 deal and Finland Under-21 Niklas Pyyhtia arrived on loan from Bologna with Luca Zanimacchia joining on loan from Cremonese.

They have big shoes to fill with Antonio Palumbo sold to Palermo for £2m.

The 29-year-old was both Modena’s chief creator and most reliable finisher with 10 assists and nine goals, but Sottil believes his departure will not be a setback for the Canaries.

“Palumbo had a great run with us, but he wanted a change of scenery, and the club agreed,” he said.

“The move worked out well for everyone, and we also brought in some very good players.”

Whatever Sottil’s optimism, Palumbo will take some replacing. Only three teams in the top half of the table scored fewer than Modena’s 48 goals last season, while the 50 goals they allowed were more than all-but-one of the sides that finished above them in the top 10.

Like most managers in Serie B, the former Torino defender’s colours are firmly tied to the 3-5-2 mast, but none of Modena’s signings this summer immediately suggest they can fill the goalscoring void left by Palumbo.

Zanimacchia scored three goals over the past two seasons, while Di Mariano has five in the past three campaigns.

Pyyhtia’s numbers are more promising, with the Finnish youngsters scoring four and registering three assists in 18 appearances on loan at Sudtirol last term.

Solving the goalscoring problem will be key for Sottil as Modena chase a play-offs berth after finishing 11th last season, seven points adrift of eighth-placed Palermo.

As ever in Serie B, the race for the play-offs promises to be too hard to call, but Sottil is all too aware the Canaries cannot afford to finish outside the top-eight this term as they aim to return to Serie A for the first time in two decades.

“We won’t hide from expectations,” he said. “It’s best to keep a low profile, but we know we can compete with the best.”

Modena open their campaign next Monday night away against Sampdoria at Marassi, a fixture which carries particular significance for Sottil, who spent three months in charge of the Blucerchiati last season.

Having replaced Andrea Pirlo at the helm after the former Juventus manager was sacked following two defeats in the first three matches, he never managed to get a tune out of his team and was sacked with Sampdoria 15th in the table, just one point clear of the relegation zone with 16 points after 17 matches.

Sottil’s reign began steadily enough with a draw against Bari and a win against Sudtirol sandwiching defeat by Cosenza, before the high point of knocking Genoa out of the Coppa Italia on penalties at the end of September.

It briefly felt as victory in the Derby della Lanterna was the springboard Sampdoria’s season had needed all along, as wins against Modena, Cesena and Mantova followed over the next four weeks.

It proved to be the most misleading of false dawns, with the Blucerchiati picking up a meagre three points over the next six matches, conceding three against Pisa and Catanzaro in the process before shipping five against Sassuolo.

The abysmal run spelt the end for Sottil, who always seemed an odd appointment given his football philosophy was in stark contrast to that of his predecessor.

The fact Sampdoria’s dismal season unravelled even further under Leonardo Semplici suggests Sottil was only partly responsible for the chaos he presided over in his 13 games in charge.

The Blucerchiati eventually escaped relegation at the second time of asking after Brescia were deducted points for financial breaches, but Sottil admitted returning to Marassi will have a special meaning.

“Yes, it will be emotional,” he conceded.

“Things ended the way they did, but there are no regrets. I gave my all to both Genoa as a player and Sampdoria as a manager. I’m a professional, and this is just part of the job.”

True to form, Sottil will give his all to Modena.

Don’t forget, Destination Calcio will be bringing you live Serie B action during every round of the 2025-26 on DCTV.

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