Napoli Examine Chelsea Outcast as a Backup Plan | OneFootball

Napoli have secured almost every player they pursued this summer but Dan Ndoye, for whom Bologna are resisting, and have started to take a more serious look at other wingers, with Raheem Sterling gaining a little steam in that sense.

Per Mediaset, the Englishman has been proposed to the Azzurri as he’ll leave Chelsea again. However, he has very high wages. The Blues would have to contribute heavily. He makes over €10M. He wasn’t retained by Arsenal following a temporary spell during which he scored once and posted five assists in 28 appearances, mostly off the bench. The veteran is a few years removed from his best campaigns at Manchester City.

According to Il Mattino, the agents of Sterling suggested to Napoli that the Pensioners would be willing to loan their client again in late August and cover about 40 percent of his wages. The Partenopei filed the proposition away while continuing to wait for Ndoye.

Their last bid amounted to €40M, but Bologna repelled it again, Corriere dello Sport relays. The winger could be open to other destinations, especially English ones. However, Nottingham Forest haven’t outbid the Scudetto holders for now. Instead, the Rossoblù are pushing for a renewal. Jack Grealish is also a fallback option, but he too has massive wages.

Our Take on Napoli and Sterling

While Antonio Conte isn’t new to wanting and revitalizing experienced players, it’d be odd if they opted for just a patch rather than investing in somebody else if they couldn’t nab Ndoye. Federico Chiesa is a more credible and viable alternative. They could also perhaps hijack Juventus’ chase of Jadon Sancho, given the Bianconeri’s hesitation.