Napoli must seriously start thinking about next season and one of the first doubts to be resolved is who to keep among the various players returning from loans.
The bad defeat obtained by 0-3 against Atalanta at home he swept away any ambitions about a possible comeback to the Champions League zone Naples. De Laurentiis and the Azzurri management can put their souls at rest, the Neapolitans will not play in the top European competition next season, unless there is a real miracle. Still within reach, however, it remains there qualification for the Europa League and the Conference League. The first one in particular could be tempting. We remind you that from next season, in fact, with the new formats of the UEFA competitions, there will be no teams relegated from Champions League. This means a competition that is certainly less attractive, but certainly more within Napoli’s reach.
And given that the European competition to be played could be of a lower specific weight, investments cannot be stellar either. Napoli will have to operate well on the market, selling only those who are no longer necessary to the project and, above all, making the most of those who already wear blue. One of the departments that will see the biggest changes is the midfield, with Zielinski And Demme (already off the lists, ed.) who will leave on a free transfer. They will then hardly be redeemed Dendoncker And Traore. On the first there is a purchase option from Aston Villa for 10 million euros, but he has practically never seen the pitch. The second one is playing, but with too much alternating current. Certainly – at the moment – it is not worth the 25 million euro investment that would be needed to buy him out of Bournemouth.
Gaetano and Folorunsho, because next year there will only be one left in Napoli
This means that, barring further transfers, Napoli’s midfield will start from next season Lobotka, Anguissa And Cajuste. At least three grafts will be needed. The first could be Ukrainian Georgy Sudakov of Shakthar Donetsk, born in 2002 of pure talent that the Neapolitans have been following for some time. The other two, presumably, at least for the summer retreats, will be Gianluca Gaetano And Michael Folorunsho.
The two are doing well respectively at Cagliari et al Verona. Gaetano has scored 4 goals this season, 3 since he wore the Sardinian shirt at the end of January. Folorunsho, on the other hand, has scored 4 times since the start of the season with the Scaligeri and is dragging them with his performances towards an unexpected salvation. Let’s clarify a concept straight away, most likely only one of them will remain in blue at the end of the summer training camps.
The next coach, whatever that may be With you or Italian, will start from a midfield made up of three players: a playmaker in front of the defense and two interior players. The role of director will obviously be Lobotka, while Anguissa and Cajuste could be confirmed to his right. So the boxes remain to be filled deputy Lobotka and of double left midfielder, with a shirt that could go to a new purchase (Sudakov is the main suspect, ed.). Here, based on this reasoning – given that neither of them could adapt as deputy Lobotka (perhaps due to more Gaetano characteristics, even if he prefers to have a more advanced role) -, we can say that only one between Gaetano and Folorunsho will remain in blue next season.
More Gaetano at Napoli and Folorunsho to sell, the reasons behind the decision
The decision on who to keep will obviously be up to the new coach and the management, but we can already start to unbalance ourselves, thinking about the characteristics of the two players and their respective economic and contractual conditions. Folorunho he has shown, also at Verona as well as at Bari last year, that he gives his best when used as an attacking midfielder. Gaetano, which also has those characteristics, seems to adapt better when it has to retreat its position. Considering that Napoli already has attacking midfielders in the squad Raspadori And Lindstrom (a careful evaluation will have to be made on them too), one might think that the former Primavera player is the main suspect in staying.
Just the fact of be a product of the youth sector of Napoli is the other reason that tips the scales towards Gaetano. The Serie A lists, as well as the European ones, need players trained in the Neapolitan cantera and Gianluca, in this sense, is certainly the best product since the Insigne era. Finally, the economic and demographic aspect should not be underestimated. The season of Folorunsho was extraordinary, but arrives at his first in Serie A at the age of 26 years, compared to Gaetano’s 23 years (24 in May, ed.). Reselling Folorunsho now, at the height of his footballing maturity, would bring an unexpected financial nest egg into Napoli’s coffers, at least around 15 million euros. Money which – given Zielinski’s departure on a free transfer – could be reinvested in a new midfielder like Sudakov.
Gianluca Gaetano, after a life spent throughout the Neapolitan youth sector, deserves a serious chance to play for his city, perhaps also showing off in European competitions such as the Europa League and Conference League. And why not, to also try to shine in the eyes of Luciano Spalletti and the national team.
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Pasquale Giacometti
