Napoli near €18m deal for Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez in defence | OneFootball

While the big puzzle in attack remains open after Romelu Lukaku's injury, Napoli is preparing to close an important operation on the defensive front.

Napoli, blow in defense: Juanlu Sanchez one step away from yes. 18 million deal with Sevilla

It's Juanlu Sanchez's day, a 2002 central defender from Sevilla, now very close to wearing the blue jersey.

Negotiation in the final details

In the last few hours, decisive steps have been taken between Napoli and Sevilla. The blue management, led by sports director Giovanni Manna, is ready to present the final offer: 18 million euros overall, including bonuses, without any percentage on future resale.

An important detail, given that the Andalusian club initially asked to maintain a clause in case of future sale. Napoli, strong in Conte's will to have the defender available immediately, aimed to close the operation quickly.

Young and reliable profile for Conte

Juanlu Sanchez, 22, grew up in Sevilla's youth academy and is considered one of the most interesting prospects of the new Spanish generation. Modern central defender, endowed with physicality but also good basic technique, he has been followed several times by blue scouts in past seasons. Now, with the arrival of Antonio Conte, his name has returned strongly to the present, becoming a priority.

Waiting for the attacker

After defining this defensive blow, Napoli will focus entirely on finding the new center-forward. Hojlund and Vlahovic remain at the top of the list, primary targets of Manna and Conte, with Zirkzee always in the background. There are alternatives: Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, Aleksandar Mitrovic from Al Hilal, and Andrea Pinamonti from Sassuolo.

Market in turmoil

Napoli, therefore, moves on multiple fronts: on the one hand, it shields the rearguard with a young but already Serie A-ready insertion, on the other hand, it prepares the decisive assault for the attacker who will have to replace Lukaku. Time is running out, and the company is called to close crucial operations just a few days before the start of the new season.

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