According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Neri Sottoli will strengthen their roster by signing Alessandro Petacchi and Franceso Gavazzi. The negotiations are expected to be finalized in the next few days.

Alessandro Petacchi (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Francesco Gavazzi (Astana) will ride for Luca Scinto's Neri Sottoli team in 2015. "Unless a surprise occurs, the negotiations will be finalized in the coming days," La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Petacchi who will turn 41 in January, is getting ready for his 20th season after two years as lead-out man for Mark Cavendish at Omega Pharma-Quick Step. His last victory was at this year's GP Pino Cerami.

Gavazzi has been with Astana since 2012. He has two stage wins in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and a stage win in the Vuelta a Espana on his palmares but has not won since the 2012 Tour of Beijing despite being close numerous times.

Elia Favilli and Luca Wackerman (Lampre-Merida), Pole Jakub Marczko, Albanian Eugert Zhupa and Matteo Busato (MG Kvis) are the first signings of the Italian team.

Oscar Gatto and Paolo Longo Borghini (Cannondale) and Valerio Agnoli and Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) are other Italian riders who are still without contract.