Shown here defending Luis Figo at Euro 2004, Dutchman Jaap Stam (right) will bolster the AC Milan backline. Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Sometimes, the rich (Milan) just get richer, while the almost-as-rich (Juventus, Inter) gamble on exotic investments and the not-quite-so-rich (Roma, Lazio, Parma) sell off most of the family jewels to remain solvent.

Meanwhile, the ordinary folks (Bologna, Brescia, Udinese) are forced to remain thrifty, while the nouveau riche (Fiorentina, Palermo) splash the cash.

Confused? Don't be. It's just a metaphor for the upcoming Serie A season, which sees defending champion Milan very much in pole position. Carlo Ancelotti's men are sitting pretty. The rossoneri boast an attractive, entertaining and above all effective style, and their squad, already one of the deepest in Serie A, just got deeper. (Italy: Clubs |Transfers | Prospects)

Milan acquired Dutch man-mountain Jaap Stam to bolster an already-impressive backline, and his arrival has already created the kind of positive competition that managers dream about.

Stam was earmarked to play at right back, but Cafu's preseason has been so impressive that Ancelotti considered moving Stam inside, with resident legend Paolo Maldini switching to left back. Except, as soon as that was mooted, both Serginho and Kakha Kaladze turned it up a notch, leaving Ancelotti with a delicious dilemma. No matter what he does, Milan will have a fearsome defense.

In midfield, former Lyon playmaker Vikesh Dhorasoo provides an alternative to the overworked Andrea Pirlo (who starred at both the Olympics and Euro 2004), while Hernan Crespo (on loan from Chelsea, with the London club paying the bulk of his salary, which means they were pretty much robbed blind) adds another big gun to a strike force which already includes Andriy Shevchenko, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Pippo Inzaghi. If Kaka can avoid a sophomore slump, Milan could have things wrapped up nice and early.

MAILBAG Gabriele Marcotti will periodically answer questions from SI.com users in his mailbag. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question: I believe that Barcelona are a great team. Do you think that they can challenge and win some silverware or are they still an unbalanced squad? --Bruno, Edmonton On paper, Barcelona had a very impressive transfer campaign. My main concern is whether coach Frank Rijkaard can put it all together, for it does not seem to be a very well-assorted bunch, despite the unquestioned talent of the individual players. Up front, there is no recognized central striker. Samuel Eto'o and Henrik Larsson are both at their best when they are given freedom to roam, but Ronaldinho already occupies the "free" role. In midfield, unless Thiago Motta stays healthy and lives up to the hype, the big shoes of Edgar Davids and Phillip Cocu haven't been filled, which means Xavi and Deco will have to take on greater defensive duties, which isn't really their game. Down the right, Ludovic Giuly and Juliano Belletti are great going forward, but could be defensive liabilities. The same could be said for Edmilson, which means Carles Puyol will have to work overtime at the back. Throw in the fact that this squad doesn't have much depth off the bench and things don't look as rosy as they might have appeared.

Juventus looks like the most viable contender, having wrested Fabio Capello away from Roma. Capello's credentials -- six league titles with three different teams in 12 seasons -- are unimpeachable, though joining Juve after having spent years pouring scorn on the bianconeri when he was at Roma ("We are a democracy; they are a dictatorship," he once famously said) smacks of opportunism.

Juve's major weakness last season was at the back, and it remains to be seen whether the additions (Jonathan Zebina and Fabio Cannavaro) really do represent an upgrade, since the former is woefully inconsistent and there are doubts over the latter's fitness. Emerson -- who, like Capello, won't exactly be welcome in Rome -- is a major plus in midfield, but whether the volatile Zlatan Ibrahimovic can function reliably off the bench remains to be seen.

Inter lavished millions on new boss Roberto Mancini's salary and then added lots of bodies while spending little on transfers. The brand-new partnership of Edgar Davids and Juan Sebastian Veron is a major gamble. The Dutchman is as unpredictable as ever, while the Argentine is coming off three straight disappointing seasons. But if anyone can get the best of this pairing it's Mancini.

The rest of the signings are equally enigmatic. Defender Nicolas Burdisso is a nice addition, but the former Boca Juniors man will need time to settle, while veterans Beppe Favalli and Sinisa Mihailovic appear well past their sell-by dates. Inter's best signing could well turn out to be wide man Ze Maria, one of the most underrated performers in Serie A.

It's not just the newcomers who are under a cloud at Inter, a club with many more questions than answers: Can Dejan Stankovic live up to the hype? Will Christian Vieri bounce back? Will Alvaro Recoba ever live up to his immense potential? Mancini certainly has his work cut out for him.

Having sold Walter Samuel and Emerson to stave off bankruptcy and endured the sudden resignation (for personal reasons) of new boss Cesare Prandelli, Roma will bank on former Germany boss (and former giallorossi favorite) Rudi Voeller and a gaggle of hungry youngsters. The club is hoping that newcomers Phillippe Mexes, Matteo Ferrari and Mido, together with homegrown starlet Daniele De Rossi can keep it competitive. The impression, however, is that this team will, once again, go as far as the front pairing of Antonio Cassano and Francesco Totti will take it.

Across town, Lazio president Claudio Lotito compares his team's financial situation to "being in a coma." Which is why Lazio sold just about everyone who could still generate interest, while drafting in prodigal son Paolo Di Canio (who took a 75 percent pay cut) to drum up support among the fans. The 36-year-old is joined by a bunch of relative unknowns and the odd holdover: Marcotti: Cesar, Angelo Peruzzi, Massimo Oddo and a few others. Avoiding relegation must now be Lazio's first priority.

Parma employed a similar recipe, though at least it was able to hang on to its biggest asset, striker Alberto Gilardino, while adding one of the brightest young coaches in Italy, Silvio Baldini. Udinese, a team that defies the odds year after year, could be in contention for a UEFA Cup spot, along with Sampdoria, which is slowly building year after year.

Newly promoted Palermo and Fiorentina could also challenge for a spot in Europe after spending big over the summer. The Sicilians, who already boasted a Serie A caliber team, added bright youngsters such as Cristiano Zaccardo, Andrea Barzagli and Simone Barone, as well as Argentine international Mariano Gonzalez.

As for Fiorentina, resuscitated after its bankruptcy three years ago, it will bank heavily on exciting new acquisitions such as Fabrizio Miccoli, Martin Ujfalusi, Hidetoshi Nakata, Enzo Maresca and Martin Jorgensen.

The rest of Serie A will most likely struggle to avoid the drop, with some -- Atalanta, Brescia, Bologna, Lecce -- looking better equipped than others -- Siena, Livorno, Messina, Cagliari, Chievo.

Gabriele Marcotti covers international soccer for SI.com.