 During the January transfer market, Palermo loaned out Franco Brienza, the only player to have been a "rosanero" in all the top three Italian tiers, to Reggina.They successively sold Marco Pisano (on loan) and Aimo Diana (permanent transfer) to Torino, and signed full back Federico Balzaretti from Fiorentina and youngsters Luca Di Matteo and Edgar Çani from Pescara.The "rosanero" ended the first Serie A half in eighth place, after two consecutive league defeats to Sampdoria and Siena (the latter at home), and notably with the second-worst defensive line in terms of goals allowed.