U.S. Città di Palermo played the 2012–13 season in Serie A,–USCittà the ninth consecutive season for the Sicilian club in the Italian top flight since their return to the league in 2004.
Review and events
After a disappointing end to its 2011–12 campaign (16th place, the worst in the club history since its 2004 Serie A return) Palermo parted ways with end-of-season boss Bortolo Mutti. In an attempt to provide a better structure for the club, Siena director of football Giorgio Perinetti was appointed as vice-president in charge of transfer matters, with Luca Cattani moved back to his previous role as scouting chief and Argentine manager Patricio Teubal (formerly a Mediaset employee) as marketing chief. Following Perinetti's appointment, many media sources strongly linked Siena head coach Giuseppe Sannino to the Palermo managerial vacancy. Sannino was officially announced as new head coach of Palermo on 6 June 2012. In addition, PUMA will replace Legea as main technical sponsor.
Regarding the club's summer market moves, the first signing already came in January as promising midfielder Nicolas Viola had immediately agreed a contract with the Rosanero but stayed on loan at Reggina for the remainder of the season. Later in April, chairman/owner Maurizio Zamparini announced to have acquired promising Argentine youngster Paulo Dybala, labelling him the "new Agüero." The move was however denied by Dybala's football agent, who declared that Palermo had not found a contract agreement with the player yet, despite having bought the player's transfer rights as confirmed by the Instituto board. Later in May, Zamparini announced also the signing of 18-year-old Uruguayan forward Sebastián Sosa from Cerro Largo FC. On 21 May 2012, FC Koper announced to have permanently sold midfielder Aljaž Struna to Palermo, thus becoming the fifth Slovene to move to Sicily in the last two years. On 6 June 2012, together with the announcement of new head coach Sannino, Palermo confirmed to have signed 33-year-old attacking midfielder/deep-lying forward Franco Brienza, formerly a Rosanero from 2000 to 2007, from Siena.
On 26 June 2012, Palermo announced the departure of youth coach and former playing hero Giovanni Tedesco, who left the club to pursue a head coaching career in the lower ranks of Italian football. The same day, the club also announced to have hired former Juventus and Napoli player Dario Baccin as new technical area coordinator for the club's youth system.
On 6 July 2012, Palermo confirmed to have reached an agreement for the transfer of Argentine defender Matías Silvestre on loan to Internazionale, with an option for the club to make the acquisition permanent by the end of the season. The first team roster started its preparation at the orders of coach Giuseppe Sannino on 12 July 2012 in Varese, and will move at the Venosta training camp four days later. Later the same day, striker Igor Budan was allowed to leave as his two-year-old daughter suddenly died in Croatia.
On 13 July 2012, Palermo supporters were awarded the Lega Serie A Fair-Play Trophy "Gaetano Scirea" for their sportsmanship behaviour in the last championship.
On 20 July 2012, incidentally also the tenth anniversary of Zamparini's reign as Palermo chairman, the club announced to have completed the signing of Argentine youngster Paulo Dybala.
On 23 July 2012, Palermo formalized the signing of Uruguayan international Egidio Arévalo Ríos from Club Tijuana in a three-year permanent deal.
In the first days of August, the club sold a number of first team players: on 1 August, Emiliano Viviano and Francesco Della Rocca were loaned to Fiorentina, whereas vice-captain and Italy international full-back Federico Balzaretti left Sicily after five years to sign a three-year contract with Roma. The following day, the club completed the transfer of Edgar Álvarez to Romanian side Dinamo București.
Later on 20 August, Palermo formalized and announced a deal that brought Swiss international Steve von Bergen in Sicily, in exchange for Alexandros Tzorvas (permanent) and youth team forward Daniel Jara Martínez (on loan). Palermo made a disappointing debut in the Serie A season, losing 0–3 to Napoli at home.
In the final day of the transfer window, Palermo also sold vice-captain and long-time rosanero Giulio Migliaccio to Fiorentina.