Southern giants continue to re-establish themselves.
Despite the loss of striker Edinson Cavani this summer, there is an argument to suggest that Napoli are becoming a stronger overall team as they continue to reinvest in the squad.
With Rafa Benitez at the helm preparing for his first season in charge of the Partenopei, you could forgive the club’s supporters for being slightly anxious at the prospect of a new campaign without the man who delivered to them 29 league goals last year.
Nevertheless, the €64m recouped in the deal taking the Uruguayan international to Paris was immediately added to the summer transfer budget, and the spending has shown no sign of slowing down as the pre-season schedule gets under-way.
While the squad continue their preparations in Dimaro, Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain will undergo a medical before finalising a deal to join the southern giants as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport. He is expected to link up with his new team-mates in the coming days as supporters await an official announcement confirming his €40m move.
The Argentine’s move may perhaps be the biggest coup of the summer for the Serie A outfit, but their work in the transfer market this summer has shown that they are building a squad capable of competing on all fronts.
In addition to Higuain, the club have secured the signings of Dries Mertens, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon thus far, with goalkeeper Pepe Reina expected to secure a loan-deal in the coming days too.
Although there is a real sense of Benitez favouring a Spanish presence within his squad, and history would suggest that this perhaps isn’t the recipe for success in the Italian top flight, the optimism and expectation surrounding the club next season is growing.
The task of replacing Cavani is no easy feat, but rather than invest all their finances in a “superstar” to attempt it, owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has made astute decisions that will benefit the club over the course of a gruelling season.
The club chief recently reassured supporters that Napoli would be competitive next season, and it would appear that he is delivering on that promise.
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