Napoli’s twelve transfer targets revealed
By Zack Nelson
Midfielders
If either of Jorginho or Marek Hamsik end up leaving this summer, Napoli will have to take steps to bolster their midfield.
Arturo Vidal
Who better to do it than King Arturo himself? Vidal won 4 Serie A titles with Juventus before moving to Bayern Munich.
He’s been fantastic for Bayern so far, but their midfield next year will consist of James Rodriguez, Thiago Alcantara, Corentin Tolisso, Leon Goretzka, Javi Martinez, and even Thomas Muller on some occasions.
That considered, it’s looking more likely that Bayern will sell the 31 year-old to make room for a new generation of midfield talent. Vidal also played under Ancelotti in 16-17, and he clearly has experience not just playing in, but also wining Serie A, so this would be a great signing for Napoli.
Renato Sanches
Renato Sanches is one of the players that I highlighted in my Hyped-up European Prospects: Where are they now? article, and there’s a reason you probably forgot about him.
After a meteoric rise during Euro 2016, Sanches really struggled to gain his footing in top-tier European football. Normally the next step after an unsuccessful loan spell at Swansea isn’t a transfer to a Champions League side, but his case is a bit different.
Carlo Ancelotti was the one who originally bought Sanches back in 2016 when he was at Bayern, so playing under the manager that wanted him in the first place could really help his development in the long run.
He’d be a project for sure, but he probably wouldn’t cost much, and Ancelotti could ultimately give him the confidence that other managers can’t offer.