Napoli confirmed they want a big name goalkeeper to pressure Alex Meret, with Neto of Barcelona emerging as the favourite ahead of Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga and PSG’s Keylor Navas.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis told Radio Kiss Kiss over the weekend that he would be replacing David Ospina with another goalkeeper who can keep Meret on his toes.
Loans were suggested for Kepa and Navas, both of whom have lost their first choice status at their respective clubs, but could have a better chance of pushing Meret onto the bench at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
However, Radio Kiss Kiss note that Neto is the favourite now, as the 33-year-old is in the final season of his contract with Barcelona.
There are a few reasons why the Brazilian is ideal for coach Luciano Spalletti, including the fact he has Italian citizenship, so would not qualify as a non-EU player in those limited slots.
He is no stranger to Serie A, playing for Fiorentina from January 2011 until the summer of 2015, when moving to Juventus as a free agent.
Neto was then sold to Valencia in 2017 and on to Barcelona two years later.
The 33-year-old is also good with his feet, something that Spalletti wants in a shot-stopper and that Meret has always struggled with.
decent goalie, but rather go after keyler navas if not try and sign perin-juventus