Napoli Join Inter Milan In The Race To Sign €5M Rated Sampdoria Defender | OneFootball

Napoli are ready to rival Inter Milan to try and sign Sampdoria and Italy Under-18 defender Giovanni Leoni this summer.

This according to Sky Sport Italia transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio. He reports on his homepage that the Blucerchiati are aiming for a fee of €5 million to sell the young defender.

Teenage defender Leoni spent last season on loan at Sampdoria.

The 17-year-old was at the Marassi on loan from Padova.

Despite his young age, Leoni carved out a place for himself at the heart of the Ligurian side’s defense.

Sampdoria had a purchase option to sign Leoni from Padova for €1.5 million. And there was never any question that they would exercise this.

Even if the Blucerchiati do not keep hold of the teenager, they can certainly sell him for a profit.

Now, the question is whether Sampdoria will keep hold of Leoni for another season as they take another run at promotion back to Serie A after remaining in the second division last season.

Napoli Join Inter In The Race To Sign Sampdoria Defender Giovanni Leoni

Inter see Leoni as a target. Reportedly, they want to sign the 17-year-old this summer, and then send him back to Sampdoria on loan for next season.

The Nerazzurri reportedly had scouts watching Leoni during a Serie B match between Sampdoria and Ternana in April.

Inter are not the only team keen on Leoni though. Juventus and Torino are reportedly also keen from within Serie A.

And then the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Monaco have reportedly shown an interest in bringing the teenage defender to the Premier League and Ligue 1 respectively.

But according to Di Marzio, Napoli are accelerating their own efforts to sign Leoni.

The Partenopei are hoping to get ahead of Inter in the race to sign the 17-year-old.

Di Marzio reports that Sampdoria will expect a fee of at least €5 million to sell Leoni as the competition for his signature continues to heat up.