Napoli and Forest target Ndoye injured 20 seconds into pre-season friendly | OneFootball

Napoli and Nottingham Forest transfer target Dan Ndoye was forced off with an injury after just four minutes of Bologna’s pre-season friendly against Serie C side Virtus Verona on Sunday evening.

The Switzerland international, who has been linked with a move to join Antonio Conte’s Napoli for most of the summer, and more recently to Forest in the Premier League, lined up as a starter in Vincenzo Italiano’s surprisingly strong Bologna XI for their pre-season run-out on Sunday.

The Switzerland international started alongside Riccardo Orsolini, Giovanni Fabbian and Santiago Castro in attack, in front of a midfield pivot featuring Lewis Ferguson and Michel Aebischer.

Ndoye forced out of Bologna pre-season friendly after 20 seconds

BOLOGNA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 30: Dan Ndoye of Bologna celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Riccardo Orsolini during the Serie A match between Bologna and Venezia at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on November 30, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

However, as per reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Ndoye suffered an injury after just 20 seconds of the Bologna-Virtus Verona friendly, having been on the receiving end of an unnecessarily strong challenge from his opposition right-back.

The match was stopped for a few minutes of on-pitch treatment, and though Ndoye was eventually able to get back on his feet, his involvement in the pre-season friendly was over, and he was eventually replaced in the fourth minute.

He was replaced by returning loanee Jesper Karlsson for the remainder of the first half.

As per Gianluca Di Marzio, Ndoye’s withdrawal appears to have been on precautionary grounds, and there is currently no reason to fear a major injury or stoppage.