VENICE, ITALY – MARCH 29: Lewis Ferguson of Bologna and Issa Doumbia of Venezia in action during the Serie A match between Venezia and Bologna at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on March 29, 2025 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Issa Doumbia has emerged as one of Serie B’s most coveted players this season, with Inter, Milan, Napoli and Roma all understood to be monitoring the Venezia midfielder, though Italian clubs face competition from abroad in the race to sign the 22-year-old.
The Italy Under-21 international has caught the eye with a series of impressive performances for Venezia, building on the form he showed during his time at AlbinoLeffe.
Across his career he has accumulated 82 appearances and four goals with the Bergamo club and 59 outings and eight goals with Venezia, numbers that, while modest, understate the quality and dynamism he has shown in midfield this season.
Sporting keen on Doumbia as Inter, Napoli & Milan wait in wings
His profile is attractive to clubs for multiple reasons beyond pure football, as noted by TuttoMercatoWeb.
Born in 2003, Doumbia qualifies as a homegrown player under Italian regulations, making him a cost-effective and practically valuable signing for Serie A clubs navigating squad list requirements.
His contract runs until June 2029, giving Venezia a strong negotiating position, one they would look to strengthen further if the club secures promotion to the top flight, which would inevitably push his valuation higher.
Adding urgency to any potential deal is the interest from Sporting CP, who according to Portuguese newspaper Record are considering Doumbia as a potential replacement for Hidemasa Morita should the Japanese international depart this summer. With Champions League football on offer in Lisbon, the Portuguese giants represent a serious rival for the Italian clubs.
The message for Inter, Milan and Napoli is clear, move quickly or risk missing out.
