The young Italian arrived in Naples with many hopes placed on him, hopes he looks to already be handsomely paying back.
The January transfer window can do funny things to people and equally funny things to football clubs.
Calm heads are required; a coach who can identify weaknesses in his team, and a sporting director who can recruit players that represent an upgrade on what is already within their club.
This ensures that deals are conducted smoothly, sensibly and, perhaps most visible from the outside, early.
Napoli acted in just such a way this winter, recruiting Manolo Gabbiadini early on — indeed, he was able to play for the Azzurri in their clash with former club Juventus as early as January 11.
Perhaps that comes as no surprise. Rafael Benitez is most definitely a calm head, while Riccardo Bigon is clearly a much focused man. Having secured Gabbiadini’s signature, the sporting director seemed to spend most of his January rebutting suggestions of players that might be heading to the Stadio San Paolo.
The signing of Gabbiadini made perfect sense for the Partenopei. He is young enough (23 years old) not have reached his full potential, yet has spent enough time in Serie A to demonstrate what he is able to do. After all, he already has a reputation as a set-piece specialist, as demonstrated with his derby winner for Sampdoria.
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Indeed, the Neapolitan fans are beginning to see glimpses of that talent already; Gabbiadini has scored three goals in his seven Serie A appearances to date, but a Coppa Italia Semi-final equaliser probably registers as the most important of the strikes for his new club to date.
Meanwhile, looking at the Italian international’s record, it is perhaps no surprise that Gabbiadini has yet to complete 90 minutes under Rafael Benitez. If ever a coach was known for squad rotation it is the Spaniard.
Instead he seems to have entered a baseball style platoon arrangement with Marek Hamsik and Jose Callejon; rotating starts and substitute appearances. Napoli’s form has improved as a result of this, though it hasn’t stopped rumours linking the club captain with a move away from Naples.
Squad rotation is important at this stage of the season, though in a different way to the earlier stage of the campaign.
Instead of capitalising on the good form of fresh players, Benitez has to balance the need to rest some of his squad. Indeed, with a spell of four games in 10 days towards the end of March, being able to rest one of Callejon, Gabbiadini and Hamsik may well prove to be the thing that keeps Napoli above their rivals.
It has to be said, that the options allow improvement within the side, too. While Callejon started the season in fine form, he has scored just once since November 1 — and that in a comfortable win at Cesena.
Hamsik has picked up a little of that slack, scoring four times in that period. More importantly Gabbiadini has hit the ground running, bagging five in all competitions so far.
The need to add quality when a team is performing well is obvious, and while the Partenopei continue to fight on three fronts, adding a player of Gabbiadini’s quality can only serve to help their cause, and turn drawing causes into winning ones.
Neatly illustrating this point, Napoli had drawn more than a third (six games) of their 17 games before signing the forward.
Since his debut, they have played another eight Serie A matches without adding to that tally. Equally important, three of their five victories have come by a single goal; those are the games that a top-quality striker can help to settle.
Gonzalo Higuain certainly fits that bill — his form has continued to impress in 2015 (and he scored two of those winning goals) but Gabbiadini is beginning to grow into it as well — he has the other.
January transfers are often viewed by the media as desperation buys from clubs who are fighting tooth and nail to maintain a challenge at one end of the table or another. Napoli’s capture of Gabbiadini was the opposite. It was well thought out, well executed, and has already started to pay dividends.
Indeed, if one discounts the 17 minutes after which Gabbiadini replaced Jose Callejon on his debut for Napoli, the Partenopei’s 15 points are exceeded only by Torino’s 17 (including the three against Benitez’s side last weekend).
It has taken Napoli to within striking distance of Roma, and just four points remain of a gap that was once as wide as 11.
Having been eliminated by Athletic Club in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers this time out, securing second spot would represent a fine achievement for Napoli.
The Giallorossi host Gabbiadini’s new side on April 4; it is not yet being billed as a Champions League shootout but, three games on, there’s a very real possibility that it will be just that.
Good Article, keep up the good work folks 😉