Napoli are beginning to prepare for life after Kim Min-jae as the South Korea international looks increasingly set to join Manchester United in the summer transfer window, which has sparked conversations as to whom Napoli could look at to replace their outgoing defender.
Kim has a clause in his current deal with Napoli which allows him to leave for another club outside Serie A this summer for €50-60m depending on bonuses and other details, with both United and Newcastle reported to be particularly interested.
With his departure almost an inevitability at this stage, La Gazzetta dello Sport have pointed out five specific names that Aurelio De Laurentiis and the Napoli hierarchy could go after in a bid to replace the influential Kim.
At the top of La Gazzetta’s list is Lens defender and Austria international Kevin Danso.
The 24-year-old has an imposing physique, is versatile across the back four and has developed a knack for contributing to important goals, particularly from set pieces.
La Gazzetta reports that if Napoli were to be quick with their business and avoid getting caught up in a bidding war with other interested parties, then a deal could be reached for a fee in the region of €15m.
Another name that has been suggested is former Fiorentina centre-back David Hancko, who has fruitful spells with Sparta Prague and Feyenoord since leaving Serie A permanently in 2021.
His personal development and recent Eredivisie title with Feyenoord are said to make him an interesting option for the Partenopei.
Another suggested option a touch closer to home is Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic. The Serbia international has been close to leaving Tuscany on several previous occasions, but hasn’t yet had an offer convincing enough to leave La Viola, for whom he has played since 2017.
Napoli are also reported to be interested in signing players born in Asia after Kim’s enormously successful stint in Campania.
With that in mind, La Gazzetta has also suggested that the club could look at two Japanese players currently playing in the Bundesliga, namely Hiroki Ito and Ko Itakura, of Stuttgart and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively.