Napoli stars Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen did not leave the Stadio Maradona over the summer, but Stephen Kasiewicz wonders if Aurelio De Laurentiis has done enough to strengthen the defending Serie A champions.
In a summer window which progressed like a tortoise with a limp Napoli made just three significant additions.
Despite being associated with a list of names which resembled the end credits of a blockbuster movie only Brazilian defender Natan, Swedish midfielder Jens Cajuste and Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom joined the reigning Serie A champions.
The most noteworthy aspect of a window drenched in soporific waves of speculation was that the star duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remained at the club.
Both the world-class Nigerian striker and scintillating Georgian winger had been relentlessly linked with numerous cash-rich leviathans. Yet club owner De Laurentiis managed to fend off all the real and imagined advances for the dazzling attacking twosome.
The most high-profile arrival was gifted attacking midfielder Lindstrom after protracted negotiations with Celta Vigo for Gabri Veiga broke down.
Just when a deal for the Spanish playmaker seemed on the verge of completion the Saudi Arabian money cavalcade marched in to lure the 21-year-old to the Middle East.
Perhaps the move – which Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos described as embarrassing – was for the best as Veiga opted to cash in by joining Al-Ahli instead of the Italian champions.
De Laurentiis would never match the vast sums on offer from Saudi Arabia or spend unnecessarily after stumping up the money to make loan deals permanent for Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone.
However, he did sanction a deal for 23-year-old Lindstrom who has the adaptability to play on either flank or in a midfielder role supporting the strikers. The Danish international’s versatility will be invaluable as Hirving Lozano left after four mixed seasons at the Campania club.
While the Mexican winger, who rejoined Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, divided opinion he will always be remembered for his contribution to the historic Scudetto triumph.
The Partenopei have made several astute moves in the last decade and instead of splashing out on more recognisable names De Laurentiis once again flummoxed the transfer experts with the captures of Natan and Cajuste.
Although it’s delusory to expect the young Brazilian to fill the considerable void left by Kim Min-jae’s departure, the promising defender may prove to be another unexpected success story.
The South Korean monster’s ferocious performances were pivotal as Napoli sauntered to a first title in 33 years last season. The Partenopei received €50m as German champions Bayern Munich activated Kim’s release clause but were unwilling to invest heavily in a replacement.
It remains to be seen whether Natan, 22, can make the step up to become a Serie A regular as the experienced pair of Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus occupy the starting positions in the middle of the Napoli backline.
Swedish international Cajuste, 24, won’t break up the formidable midfield trio of Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Piotr Zieliński (who rejected a move to Saudi Arabia) and faces an almighty challenge to get any kind of significant playing time.
Of the fresh arrivals only Lindstrom looks capable of becoming a first-team mainstay as Natan and Cajuste adjust to the demands of a club with lofty ambitions in Italy and Europe.
In a slightly underwhelming window of left-field choices, Napoli didn’t make any headline-grabbing captures. Doom merchants insisted the star cast of title winners would be ripped apart. Yet only one member of the championship-winning team left and with Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia still together anything is possible.
Twitter: @SKasiewicz
ADL a bit like his namesake, will crush the life out of anything!
Napoli are cooked.
They’re so f**ked 🤣😭