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Napoli’s twelve transfer targets revealed

By Zack Nelson

NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 20: Players of SSC Napoli celebrate the victory after the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and FC Crotone at Stadio San Paolo on May 20, 2018 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
NAPLES, ITALY - MAY 20: Players of SSC Napoli celebrate the victory after the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and FC Crotone at Stadio San Paolo on May 20, 2018 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) /
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SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 03: Luis Muriel of Sevilla is tackled by Jerome Boateng of Bayern Muenchen during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Sevilla FC and Bayern Muenchen at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on April 3, 2018 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 03: Luis Muriel of Sevilla is tackled by Jerome Boateng of Bayern Muenchen during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Sevilla FC and Bayern Muenchen at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on April 3, 2018 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) /

Defenders

Thomas Meunier

Even when you’re as good a right back as Thomas Meunier, it’s nearly impossible to get playing time when an all-time great like Dani Alves is starting ahead of you. Unless PSG part with the 35 year-old right-back, Meunier should definitely look for a move away to kick-start his career.

He’ll be 27 in September, and is more than ready to be an every-week starter for a top European club. Napoli’s current right-back, Elseid Hysaj, has been heavily linked with a move away this summer, so if he ends up leaving, that would open the door for Meunier.

Sime Vrsaljko

The only people at Napoli who don’t want Sime Vrsaljko are whoever has to make the shirts, because man, that’s a hard name to spell.

This move may end up being more of a dream than a reality, though, as it’ll be very hard to pry him away from Atleti. Vrsaljko had a great season in which he claimed the starting right-back spot over Juanfran, and if he impresses at the World Cup this summer, his asking price will skyrocket.

He may be intrigued by the idea of returning to Italy to challenge for a title, but I still think Meunier is the most likely of the two.

Jerome Boateng

Finally, a very interesting name on this list is Jerome Boateng, who was with Ancelotti in the 2016-17 season. Once considered one of the best defenders in the world, he lost his starting spot to Niklas Sule, who had a breakout campaign for the German giants, and has already proven to be a top-class center-back at just 22 years-old.

Still, Boateng could walk right into the starting XI at almost any club in Europe, and if Bayern is ready to move on from him, this would be a massive get for Napoli’s title ambitions, because a center-back pairing of Boateng and Koulibaly would give them the best defense in Italy (on paper).

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