Repubblica – Napoli could reignite interest in Garnacho: the latest updates | OneFootball

Repubblica – Napoli, possible rekindling of interest in Garnacho: the situation

A family table for six at the Indaco restaurant of the Regina Isabella, overlooking the bay of Lacco Ameno. Aurelio De Laurentiis and Antonio Conte took stock of the situation between courses: scampi, grass peas, and arugula tempura for the appetizer, gold zucchini spaghetti, clams, and percebes for the first course—a seafood menu, as is proper, after the land-based dishes of Trentino. The atmosphere at dinner was also different and softer, thanks to the company of their respective wives and children. But the president and the coach of Napoli, while waiting for sporting director Giovanni Manna to join them on the island of Ischia, still found the time and way to talk football, taking advantage of the short break between the Dimaro training camp and the one in Castel di Sangro (which starts tomorrow) to take stock of the transfer market. Six reinforcements have already arrived: De Bruyne, Marianucci, Lang, Lucca, Beukema, and Milinkovic-Savic, in strict chronological order. Three more are still missing to complete the plan drawn up after winning the scudetto: a right-back, a physically strong and hard-working defensive midfielder, and a left winger. The names of the top choices have been circulating for weeks and are no longer a mystery, with negotiations—full of ups and downs—underway by the Azzurri for the Spaniard Juanlu from Sevilla and the American Musah from Milan. The Swiss player Ndoye from Bologna, on the other hand, preferred Nottingham. For every target, there are plan B or C options, and a rekindling of interest in Garnacho is being considered. While waiting for the final green light for the sale of Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray, expected at any moment, the Italian champions must also avoid being held to ransom.

Everyone knows that Napoli is about to make another record capital gain (after January’s for Kvaratskhelia’s departure), and as a result, the prices of their transfer targets are rising. However, Conte reiterated to De Laurentiis during the Ischia summit that he still expects three more reinforcements, and it’s not a matter of excess. In fact, the Azzurri are not simply strengthening their squad, but rebuilding a roster that until May could really count on only 11-12 players. In these conditions, for the coach from Lecce, it was therefore really complicated to give the regular starters a break. Hence the gap to be bridged with the Serie A big clubs, who were already playing in Europe last year with much more structured squads—however paradoxical it may seem—compared to the new Italian champions. Conte knows that winning the league was a fantastic achievement, and for this reason (with the prospect and hope of also playing a starring role in the Champions League) he has requested an almost record-breaking transfer campaign. Napoli’s transfer market activity is therefore a response to the need to increase and structure their squad. The other Serie A big clubs—needing to sign fewer players—can, on the other hand, focus only on improving their starting eleven. That’s why the Azzurri have been the most active so far and have set the goal of bringing in nine reinforcements. But of these only Kevin De Bruyne can guarantee an immediate leap in quality. Lang & Co., on the other hand, need the necessary time to settle in and grow. The Italian champions’ construction site reopens tomorrow in Castel di Sangro.

Carlo Gioia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.