Napoli football transfer market: deals and strategies to continue winning

Now is the time to party, as it should be. Then the mind should go to the next season knowing that it will not be possible to keep all the players, but with the belief that no one is irreplaceable. Just think of when, exactly twelve months ago, some of the most important players of the Napoli’s dressing room said they would leave and we did not know what kind of jump Spalletti's team would make. Now we know: a great leap forward, unthinkable last year when Insigne, Mertens and Koulibaly were preparing to leave the city. Now there is nothing as definitive or clear. There are many rumours, which is normal. Meanwhile, the market has yet to start but we can see there will be some changes. This could happen also behind the desks or on the bench. There is no doubt that the miracle of this season was made possible by Spalletti’s excellent work and Giuntoli’s, equally valid, work together with his co-operators. The coach managed to bring out the best from a group of players lesser known, but with great qualities. The perfect storm was created. To have another equally good one, the two areas need to continue to work together. Giuntoli has a contract, although the rumours of Juventus wanting him to put its rebirth in his hands are insistent. Spalletti has one too, on paper: the unilateral clause in favour of Napoli will be exercised. In both cases, apart from the contracts, it will be necessary to sit down - maybe in front of a coffee given we are in Naples - and plan the future. Without taking anything for granted, on the contrary. Also, trying to understand what the needs are, for each area, to try to improve even more. Otherwise, the risk will be to have a full belly or to consider the result just achieved unattainable.

It would be a huge mistake because Napoli can open a cycle. A cycle which can be started also by selling. Yes, that is right: Napoli will sell. There is no doubt about that. There will be many offers arriving for the “blue jewels”. No-one can resist them. There are players for whom it is right to think about a departure. The one who seems to be ready for a further leap is the top scorer: Victor Osimhen. Those who want a striker today can only think of him. He has shown that he is ready for the big Champions League stage, he has shown that he is not afraid of anything and that he has grown with continuity. It would take many million euros to take him away from Naples, a figure well over 100 million. Still, there are some interested in him. From Bayern, which we know never likes over-spending on the market, to United, who needs that type of striker. Then there is Chelsea, who wants to get all the best stickers in Europe. We'll see: the auction is open. De Laurentiis has shown that he can govern the market as he likes, and has learned that sometimes when asking too much you lose out. In short: sell and repent. Especially if you already have someone ready to take the new Osimhen. Who is it? We’ll try to find out, rest assured. Meanwhile, Napoli got a head start last season with Raspadori and Simeone.

And his twin player Kvara? If we were to throw a coin in the air, it’s most likely there will be a contract renewal, rather than a sale. He has just arrived, he wants to show what a great player he is, he still has a debt of gratitude to Napoli and its people who immediately believed in him and adopted him. It will be another excellent transfer, probably, of this Napoli, but not this summer. At least according to our forecasts.

We wouldn't say the same for Kim. The Korean defender has a release clause and there aren’t many good defenders around. Paradoxically, it seems easier to find a player like Kvara than Kim. For this reason, Napoli has a slight fear that someone will come and take him away. In which case, the club would not be able to do anything about it: with the clause paid, Kim will then decide whether to stay or not. Does it remind you of anything? The cost, however, would be a significant one for those who want to get him and then Giuntoli would have to spend around 70 million to replace him.

Napoli will basically remain the same, with some slight changes, trying to keep the same motivations. Improving a group that’s champion of Italy is a titanic undertaking. Think of AC Milan last season with De Keteleare. They did everything possible to have him and then did not manage to enjoy having him even a little bit because the player failed to impose himself. A team’s outcome is not only about the transfer market even though of course if you then fish certain players from the deck then everything becomes simpler. Napoli has shown that it knows what it wants. He may have been lucky, some may think so, but it pursued a well-defined project: to win keeping costs under control. The policy was to maintain high quality and lower the players’ wages amount. Napoli did it and won. So now is the time to let them keep working the way they have done thus far.