De Laurentiis aims to provide Conte with two additional attacking options: a left winger and a centre forward. Here are the potential candidates and negotiation statuses, pending Osimhen`s situation.
There`s room for new arrivals, but now that Osimhen`s future has somewhat complicated matters – because having 75 million euros or not makes a significant difference – the path forward isn`t entirely clear yet. On the desired journey towards attacking prowess, there`s a shortlist of almost half a dozen exciting prospects, players with the killer instinct who operate in or near the penalty area. They represent the challenge now, as achieving true attacking brilliance requires patience. While a cry for “attack!” might seem appropriate, the revolution that has just begun here at Napoli requires strategic additions: another winger to support Lang, Politano, and Neres, and a centre forward ready to deputize for someone like Lukaku, but with different qualities.
Napoli`s Transfer Targets on the Left Wing
If it were solely up to Napoli, Dan Ndoye (turning 25 in October) would likely already be in the city, enjoying its natural beauty. Napoli has been keen on him for six months, but an offer of 30 or even 35 million euros wasn`t enough to sway Bologna from their valuation, reportedly around 43 million euros. De Laurentiis can be generous even beyond typical expectations, and he intends to invest the funds from Osimhen`s potential sale. However, a priority must be chosen between reinforcing the left wing and the centre. For the former, the enticing possibility of Ademola Lookman (also 28 in October), a player who would captivate any club, could strongly re-emerge. Alternatively, Napoli might revisit their interest in Federico Chiesa (also 28 in October), who would need to adjust his salary but could potentially be acquired without the excessive demands seen in the past.
Napoli Transfer Market: Nunez and Lucca in Pole Position
This is a complex saga that has been causing sleepless nights for weeks, yet this modern football scenario isn`t far removed from the past century. Since the transfer market`s inception, clubs have operated in a somewhat nebulous state with inherent uncertainties. For example, Darwin Nuñez dramatically entering the picture and dominating the conversation, as his career at Liverpool shows. Diogo Jota`s injury has currently ruled out any immediate discussions, and Liverpool isn`t eager to prioritize football matters yet. However, when a meeting becomes unavoidable, De Laurentiis and the Liverpool leadership will resume talks where they left off. Napoli`s offer stands at 50 million euros, while Liverpool is asking for 60 million, plus six million (negotiable) for the Uruguayan player. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Lucca is also on Giovanni Manna`s agenda; he identified the striker as a target long ago and has already secured his agreement. There`s a significant gap of around ten million euros between Napoli and Udinese`s valuations, which the friendship between De Laurentiis and Pozzo hasn`t narrowed. Furthermore, there`s a new complication: Atalanta is also interested in Lucca. They are financially stable and even wealthier after selling Retegui for 70 million. However, the finalization of the deal with Al Qadsiah – which can involve lengthy bureaucratic processes – is the crucial prerequisite for Atalanta to make other moves. Before making a definitive bid, coach Juric also wants to evaluate his current attacking options, El Bilal Touré, and potentially even Maldini and De Ketelaere. Therefore, Atalanta isn`t in a rush but remains vigilant. It`s likely that if De Laurentiis` club pushes forward, Atalanta will strongly re-enter the race.
