Solar, sea and a metropolis basking within the triumphant glow of its latest Scudetto. Naples is a straightforward promote for rich footballers searching for a brand new expertise this summer time.
“If you’re wealthy, Naples is superb,” lauds journalist Vincenzo Credendino. “Sooner or later you decide up the boat you go to Capri, one other day you go to Amalfi, to Pompeii. You eat good, there are lots of issues to do. Naples, in case you are wealthy, could be very enticing. It has at all times been like this.”
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Whereas property brokers have lengthy pointed new arrivals to the posh hillside villas of Posillipo, it’s a latest phenomenon that these enticed to Napoli by president Aurelio de Laurentiis are coming from the Premier League.
After Scott McTominay, who joined from Manchester United, earned cult standing in Campania for spearheading Napoli’s Serie A hit, the movie producer-turned-football membership proprietor returned so as to add six-time Premier League winner Kevin de Bruyne to go coach Antonio Conte’s ranks.
He joins Romelu Lukaku and Billy Gilmour as others prised from the Premier League payroll because the Conte period started final summer time.
And there might be extra.
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De Bruyne’s former Metropolis team-mate Jack Grealish – a £100m signing from Aston Villa 4 years in the past – has additionally been linked, as has United winger Alejandro Garnacho, whereas Credendino believes there may be curiosity in United and England ahead Jadon Sancho, who spent final season on mortgage at Chelsea.
“Folks in Napoli are pondering Aurelio de Laurentiis goes loopy,” laughs Credendino. “In our thoughts, he’s the president who tries to win, clearly, however at all times by placing the funds first, at all times being very cautious in regards to the financial aspect and doing lots of participant buying and selling.
“That was the core enterprise of Napoli. Now issues have modified. Aurelio de Laurentiis is smelling the blood of the opponent, of the enemies.”
McTominay scored 12 targets in 34 video games to win Serie A’s MVP Award in his debut season for Napoli [Getty Images]
Napoli received Serie A final season for the fourth time of their historical past and the second time in three seasons. The primary two titles, in 1987 and 1990, got here through the Diego Maradona period. In 2023, Luciano Spalletti received their first Scudetto in 33 years earlier than Conte steered I Partenopei to final season’s triumph.
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Conte’s aspect completed one level above Inter Milan, who misplaced profitable boss Simone Inzaghi to Saudi Arabian aspect Al-Hilal earlier this month. Atalanta, who completed third, additionally noticed long-term head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the person who led them to Europa League glory two years in the past, go away for Roma.
Conventional powerhouses Juventus are present process one thing of a restructure, whereas AC Milan is not going to compete in Europe subsequent season. As their rivals stall, Napoli need to capitalise.
“Napoli could be very steady. They plan earlier than others so that they have the cash to persuade a participant like De Bruyne to embrace this new journey,” explains Federico Mari, a Milan-based worldwide soccer government who specialises in switch methods, membership acquisitions, MCO and cross-border technique.
In keeping with Transfermarkt, Napoli rank thirtieth on an inventory of the world’s Most worthy golf equipment – under 15 Premier League sides and fifth amongst Italian golf equipment.
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They went bankrupt in 2004, dropping into the third tier, and have been acquired by De Laurentiis, who guided them again into Serie A by 2007. They’ve been European regulars since, successful the Coppa Italia thrice and, lastly, these long-awaited league titles.
“Napoli is a really well-run membership,” says Mari. “For the De Laurentiis household, Napoli is their most important household enterprise and the previous 10-15 years they’ve managed to do nicely each on the pitch, but in addition off the pitch.”
Mari highlights the gross sales of Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus for £75.3m, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£59m) and Edinson Cavani (£55m) to Paris St-Germain. Napoli spent greater than £70m on Victor Osimhen in 2020 however, after a yr on mortgage at Galatasaray, he’s anticipated to depart this summer time.
“They have been excellent at discovering this expertise and placing them in a spot to do nicely, to play in Europe,” provides Mari. “When you’ve got this stability to develop your small business, have a membership the place everyone is aligning, they’ve a transparent aim, then it occurs that in a while you might be higher off or richer than some golf equipment who’re normally extra highly effective than you – AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus.”
The Conte issue
If De Laurentiis “smells blood”, it might even be as a result of he has a serial winner within the dugout tickling his nostrils.
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Final season’s Serie A title was the fifth of Conte’s managerial profession, turning into the primary supervisor to take action with three totally different golf equipment. He additionally received the Premier League with Chelsea between these different successes at Juventus and Inter Milan.
“If you wish to make younger gamers develop, you decide different coaches,” explains Naples-based journalist Credendino. “If you happen to decide Antonio Conte, you already know he’ll ask you to purchase Romelu Lukaku. No downside.”
Certainly, after mortgage spells at Inter and Roma, Belgium ahead Lukaku joined Napoli completely from Chelsea firstly of Conte’s reign final summer time.
“Conte needs to stay within the second, successful within the second,” provides Credendino. “He can not win with solely younger gamers with not so nice expertise. He likes younger gamers, however when they’re already stars.”
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De Bruyne, whose contract expired at Metropolis, is one other vastly skilled and adorned addition. He reportedly took a pay lower to affix Napoli and, based on Credendino, is on 5.5m euros (£4.7m) per yr following an preliminary 10m euros (£8.5m) signing on price – making him the membership’s second-highest earner behind compatriot Lukaku.
Antonio Conte received Serie A for the fifth time as a supervisor final season – his first success with Napoli after lifting the title thrice with Juventus and as soon as with Inter [Getty Images]
Grealish, Sancho or Garnacho would additionally not come low-cost, nonetheless, which begs the query why Conte and De Laurentiis are purchasing for costly however out-of-favour Premier League names.
“Some gamers within the Premier League usually are not in a high second, but when they arrive to Italy, with the mismatch we now have evaluating the leagues, somebody who within the Premier League performs at six out of 10, in Serie A they’re an eight out of 10 degree,” says Credendino.
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Serie A is definitely older. Napoli had, on common, the second-oldest aspect within the Italian high flight final season at 28.2 years – solely behind Champions League finalists Inter, who completed Serie A runners-up, with 29.1 years. In distinction, Fulham have been the oldest within the Premier League at 27.9, based on Transfermarkt.
Statistics from Opta recommend the next depth within the Premier League too, groups pressed extra and possession was received within the opposition’s ultimate third over 600 instances greater than it was in Serie A final season, with 40 extra targets scored following excessive turnovers. Gamers additionally dribbled or carried the ball considerably greater than in Italy.
“The tactical aspect of it’s slower than English soccer,” striker Keinan Davis, who joined Udinese from Aston Villa, final season.
“I’m bodily and there usually are not actually too a lot of these gamers. You see Lukaku and other people with bodily attributes do nicely. In England everyone is bodily and everyone is quick.”
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That stated, Conte is famend for being a supervisor who works his gamers extremely arduous. For all Naples’ allure, these becoming a member of shouldn’t count on a vacation retreat.
“De Bruyne in all probability has the sensation he’ll be part of a aggressive staff with the most effective coaches on the planet, who’s well-known to be a killer in coaching as a result of he makes gamers run like loopy, however he’s a winner,” provides Mari.
“The Italian league continues to be very well-known for ways, so possibly if he’s pondering sooner or later if I need to turn into a sporting director or a coach, I’m going to study new stuff in Italian soccer with Antonio Conte. The life-style is interesting, with a high coach in the most effective staff within the league.”