Napoli are looking to Japanese defenders Ko Itakura and Hiroki Ito as replacements for Bayern Munich-bound Kim Min-jae for reasons that go beyond football and into branding.
With multiple sources convinced the transfer of the South Korea international to Bayern Munich is a done deal, new coach Rudi Garcia faces the need to find a suitable heir.
According to Sky Sport Italia and Calciomercato.com, the decision could be affected by more than just their abilities on the football field, as President Aurelio De Laurentiis saw the huge boost Kim Min-jae gave to Napoli’s profile in Asia.
He is therefore looking for someone who can help further boost the club’s brand and sell merchandise across the globe.
With that in mind, the top targets are in the Bundesliga.
Ko Itakura plays for Borussia Monchengladbach and had already been linked with Napoli several months ago.
A more recent addition to the wish-list is Hiroki Ito, a 24-year-old playing for VfB Stuttgart who can also work as a right-back or a defensive midfielder.
Both would be considerably cheaper than some of the other alternatives too, at a maximum of €20m.