Napoli target four for Conte: Gutierrez close, Elmas a dream | OneFootball

Napoli accelerates in the transfer market. Less than a week before the league debut, the Azzurri management is working tirelessly to complete the squad and provide Antonio Conte with a deep and competitive team, capable of keeping up with the pace of a fifty-game season across Serie A, Champions League, Super Cup, and Coppa Italia.

Napoli, four moves for Conte: Gutierrez close, Juanlu waiting, Diouf in pole position, and the Elmas dream

Gutierrez one step away: medicals imminent

The first piece is almost in place: Miguel Gutierrez, the Spanish left-back from Girona, is one step away from wearing the Azzurri shirt. An agreement with the Catalan club has been reached on the basis of 18 million plus 1 million in bonuses, and the 24-year-old player is expected in Italy for medical tests at Villa Stuart. However, Conte will only be able to count on him from September, due to his recovery from ankle surgery.

Juanlu, the right flank in sight

On the other side of the defense, Napoli is pushing for Juanlu Sanchez from Sevilla. The 2002-born player has already expressed his desire to move to Italy, turning down some offers from the Premier League. Considered by Giovanni Manna as the natural heir to Di Lorenzo, the Spanish full-back is a primary target. The negotiation is not simple: Sevilla wants to cash in without concessions, but contacts remain ongoing.

Midfield, Diouf in pole position

The tactical idea of permanently including the 4-1-4-1 among Conte's options has pushed Napoli to look for an extra midfielder. Several names are on the table:

Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea, 22 years old in October);

Noah Cissé (Rennes, 21 years old);

Andy Diouf (Lens, 22 years old).

Diouf currently seems to be in the lead. The French club, while considering him a starter, is willing to negotiate: Napoli is considering an offer of around 20 million and already has a draft agreement with the player until 2030. However, the negotiation remains delicate, given the international competition.

The return of Elmas, dream still alive

Eljif Elmas’ name has never left Manna’s list, a key player in Napoli’s 2023 Scudetto triumph. Having moved to Leipzig in January 2024 for about 25 million, the Macedonian remains a favorite of the club. The German club is not open to loan solutions and would prefer a permanent transfer, while there is no shortage of suitors in the Premier League. For now, Elmas has rejected offers from England, but Napoli remains alert.

Azzurri strategy: an “extra-large” squad for Conte

Napoli’s project is clear: to build a deep squad, with quality alternatives in every position. The main targets have been identified, and the coming weeks will be used to finalize the negotiations. The idea is to give Conte the chance to rotate players and formations without any drop in performance, in what promises to be an intense season.

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