Napoli ‘smell blood’ & target Premier League’s discarded stars

Sun, sea, and a city basking in the recent Scudetto’s triumphant glow. For wealthy footballers looking for a new summer experience, Napoleon is a sell.

Naples is amazing, according to journalist Vincenzo Credendino, who praised the city. “You board the boat and travel to Capri, Amalfi, Pompeii, and then Capri. You get good food, and there are many activities. If you are wealthy, Naples is very alluring. This is how it has always been.

Estate agents have long pointed out recent arrivals to Posillipo’s upscale hillside villas, but it’s no secret that Napoli’s president Aurelio de Laurentiis is a Premier League fan.

The film producer-turned-football club owner returned to add six-time Premier League champion Kevin de Bruyne to Antonio Conte’s ranks after Scott McTominay, who left Manchester United, established cult following his leadership of Campania’s success.

Romelu Lukaku and Billy Gilmour are just two players who have been cut from the Premier League’s payroll since last summer’s Conte era.

And more might be possible.

De Bruyne’s former City teammate Jack Grealish, who signed for £100million from Aston Villa four years ago, and United winger Alejandro Garnacho have also been linked, Credendino believes there is interest in United and England international Jadon Sancho, who last year went on loan at Chelsea on a season-long loan deal.

Credendino chuckles, “People in Napoli believe Aurelio de Laurentiis is crazy.” He is the president who, in our opinion, always strives to win, without putting the financial interests first, being extremely cautious about the economic side, and engaging in significant player trading.

Napoli won Serie A for the fourth time in their history and for the second time in three seasons. The Diego Maradona era saw the release of the first two titles, 1987 and 1990. Before Conte led I Partenopei to the title of last season, Luciano Spalletti won their first Scudetto in 33 years.

Conte’s side came out on top of Inter Milan, which lost successful boss Simone Inzaghi to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal earlier this month. Gian Piero Gasperini, the man who helped them to triumph in the Europa League two years ago, also left for Roma, who finished third.

AC Milan won’t play in Europe next season, while the traditional powerhouses Juventus are currently going through a bit of a restructuring. Napoli are attempting to capitalize on their rivals’ stagnation.

Napoli has a good reputation. Federico Mari, a Milan-based international football executive with a focus on transfer strategies, club acquisitions, MCO, and cross-border strategy, says that they make their plans before others so they can get the money to persuade players like De Bruyne to embrace this new adventure.

Napoli are ranked 30th among the world’s most valuable clubs, just behind 15 Premier League clubs and fifth among Italian clubs, according to Transfermarkt.

In 2004, they went bankrupt, dropping into the third tier, and De Laurentiis bought them, who had re-joined Serie A in 2007. Since then, they have won three Coppa Italia titles and those coveted league titles, which they have a long history in Europe.

According to Mari, “Napoli is a very well-run club.” Napoli is the De Laurentiis family’s main family business, and over the past 10-15 years, they have done well both on and off the pitch.

Mari cites the sale of Edinson Cavani and Gonzalo Higuain to Paris St.Germain for £55 million, as well as Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus for £75.3 million. Victor Osimhen was signed by Napoli for more than £70 million in 2020, but he is expected to leave this summer after a year on loan at Galatasaray.

De Laurentiis may have a serial winner in his dugout tickling his nostrils if he “smells blood.”

Conte became the first manager to win a Serie A title with three different clubs last year, making it his fifth managerial success. Between those victories at Juventus and Inter Milan, he also won the Premier League with Chelsea.

According to Naples-based journalist Credendino, “You pick other coaches if you want to make young players grow,” You already know that Antonio Conte will ask you to purchase Romelu Lukaku if you choose him. No issue.

Indeed, Lukaku signed for Napoli permanently from Chelsea at the start of Conte’s reign last summer after loan spells at Inter and Roma.

Conte adds that Credendino “wants to live in the moment and succeed in the moment.” With only a few young players with limited experience, he cannot win. He enjoys young players even when they are already famous.

Grealish, Sancho, or Garnacho would not be inexpensive, which begs the question: Why are Conte and De Laurentiis shopping for expensive but unpopular Premier League names?

With the current division between the Premier Leagues, players who play in the Premier League at six out of ten and in Serie A are at eight out of ten, says Credendino.

It’s no secret that Serie A is older. Last season, Napoli finished second in the Italian top flight with an average age of 28.2 years, just behind champions league runners-up Inter, who finished with 29.1 years. Fulham, in contrast, had the oldest Premier League record at 27.9, according to Transfermarkt.

With 40 more goals scored in the lead-up to high turnovers, Opta’s statistics indicate a higher level of intensity in the Premier League, teams that press harder, and possession won in the opposition’s final third over 600 times more than it did in Serie A last year. In addition, players significantly increased their dribbling or carrying capacity than they did in Italy.

Striker Keinan Davis, who left Aston Villa for Udinese last year, claimed that the game’s tactical side is slower than English football.

There aren’t really that many players like that because I’m physically active. You observe strong physical performance from Lukaku and other players. Everyone in England is physically fit and quick.

Conte is known as a manager who works with his players very effectively, despite this. Despite its charming charm, those who join shouldn’t anticipate a weekend getaway.

De Bruyne likely feels like he will join a competitive team under the leadership of one of the best coaches in the world, who is known as a killer in training because he causes players to flee like they’re crazy, but Mari agrees.