On this day in 2007, Napoli signed a Slovakian midfielder named Marek Hamsik from Brescia for €5.5m.
The Partenopei had just won promotion to Serie A for the first time since 2001, finishing six points behind Juventus, who were in the second division after the Calciopoli scandal.
In an effort to reinforce the squad for their forthcoming top-flight campaign, the club turned to a 19-year-old Slovakian who had impressed in Serie B with Brescia – Marek Hamsik.
On this day in 2007, Napoli signed a Slovakian midfielder named Marek Hamsik from Brescia for €5.5m.
The Partenopei had just won promotion to Serie A for the first time since 2001, finishing six points behind Juventus, who were in the second division after the Calciopoli scandal.
In an effort to reinforce the squad for their forthcoming top-flight campaign, the club turned to a 19-year-old Slovakian who had impressed in Serie B with Brescia – Marek Hamsik.
The midfielder signed a five-year contract, with his arrival officially announced on June 28, 2007.
“I am very happy and proud to play for such a prestigious club as Napoli,” said Hamsik at the time. “I cannot wait to wear this famous shirt and meet my teammates.”
He immediately endeared himself to the San Paolo crowd, scoring against Cesena in the Coppa Italia on his debut before getting his first Serie A goal against Sampdoria on September 16.
The 2007-8 season saw Hamsik score 10 goals in all competitions, and he has only twice failed to reach double figures in the subsequent campaigns.
The Slovakian secured his heroic status in the 2012 Coppa Italia final, scoring the second goal against Juventus to win a first trophy for the Vesuviani in 22 years.
Hamsik won a second Coppa in 2014, this time lifting the trophy as captain, and a year later he turned down a move to Juventus.
In August last year he signed a new contract with Napoli, tying him to the club until 2020, and the midfielder has been clear that he wants to finish his career in Campania.
Now, 11 years after first signing, Hamsik is an undisputed club legend.
In the 2017-18 season he broke Diego Maradona’s goalscoring record, and currently sits at 120 goals to El Diego’s 115.
While there was a flirtation with China this summer, it now appears the Slovakian will remain in Naples, meaning he’ll break the club’s appearance record too.
Giuseppe Bruscolotti is the current record holder with 511, but Hamsik needs just 12 appearances in the forthcoming season to break that record.