Napoli interested in Barcelona outcast as Antonio Conte seeks reunion | OneFootball

Barcelona are in a bit of a dilemma regarding Clement Lenglet, who clearly does not fit into Hansi Flick’s plans for the team.

They want to find a permanent solution for him, but his high salary makes it tough to find a team willing to take him on.

This means that another loan deal might be on the horizon and according to a report from SPORT, Serie A powerhouses Napoli have shown interest and they might offer a deal that includes an option to buy.

Lenglet’s journey has been quite eventful. Last season, he was on loan at Aston Villa, but he didn’t play as much despite his previous good performances at Tottenham.

He left last summer after turning down a significant offer from Al Nassr because he did not want to play in Saudi Arabia.

Now, he has similar offers but has shown no interest in moving there, indicating he wants to stay in Europe.

Antonio Conte pushing for Lenglet

Now, things could start moving forward next week as Napoli are considering Lenglet as an option, and their coach, Antonio Conte, is a big fan of him. Conte had Lenglet under his wing at Tottenham, where he made him a regular starter.

Clement Lenglet is wanted by Napoli. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Conte left favourable reports about Lenglet when he departed from Tottenham, and the club tried to sign him permanently. However, the transfer did not happen, so Lenglet ended up at Aston Villa instead.

Barcelona’s main goal is to offload Lenglet’s salary or at least a significant portion of it. Napoli wouldn’t take on the entire salary, but they could present an interesting deal for all parties involved.

Barcelona finding ways for Lenglet

This potential move is being carefully considered, especially since Napoli is currently busy with several sales in a very active market. They could earn a lot of money from these sales, which would influence their future signings.

Lenglet is not part of Barcelona’s plans due to an excess of centre-backs in the squad. The team needs to let go of at least three players, and Lenglet is expected to be one of them.

The Frenchman’s high salary and his position as the last choice on the list make him a prime candidate for departure.

Since his contract runs until 2026, Barcelona are hoping to loan him out again, but it will come with a mandatory purchase option.