Some time has passed into this summer’s mercato, and Italy’s top five clubs are preparing for a season were anything less than qualification for the Champions League would be considered a failure. Milan, Inter, Napoli, Roma and Juventus have clear goals ahead of them, all making their own movements to ensure that they are well prepared come the start of the Serie A season.
Each day we will look at each club and assess their mercato thus far. On Tuesday we began with the current Scudetto holders, Milan, yesterday it was the turn of their rivals Inter, now it is Napoli who are in the spotlight.
Napoli
Third last season, aiming for nothing less this season, and with a clear aim to impress in Europe, as the club will feature in Europe’s elite competition for the first time in more than two decades. President Aurelio De Laurentiis made his ambitions known to everyone and has every intention to build a side which consistently fights for Serie A’s top places.
Players like Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi, and Marek Hamsik are grabbing interest from around Europe, but the club is doing well to assure that the players who are bringing back some long awaited excitement to the stands of Stadio San Paolo stay.
Competing on two fronts next season and with clear objectives on both, the squad is definitely in serious need of upgrading, when it comes to both quantity and quality.
Current team and addressing problems: Coach Walter Mazzarri has one of the most talented attacks in Serie A at his disposal, and a number of quality players littered throughout the squad as well, with Italy wing back Christian Maggio not the least of them.
Still, last season, a significant number of starters in the team were by no means Champions League material, particularly in the defence and midfield departments. With the Partenopei on the verge of a very demanding season when it comes to the number of matches, squad depth becomes a serious concern. An injury to one of the attacking trio would significantly lower the quality of the team, which shows the teams greatest weakness in its strongest department.
Goalkeeping: Morgan De Sanctis is likely to stay a major figure of this Napoli side and his previous seasons performance justifies that.
Defence: Captain Paolo Cannavaro is by no means world class, but the leadership qualities and grinta shown by the brother of 2006 World Cup winner Fabio, fully justify why he deserves to remain a fixed figure in this Napoli side. For a side that plays with three centre-backs, it’s disappointing that you cannot say the same about any other defender on the team. Players like Hugo Campagnaro, Salvatore Aronica and Victor Ruiz are not the type of players you would expect to be starting in a top three team in a league of Serie A’s pedigree.
Midfield: Right wing back Maggio is currently for choice for the Italian national side, the former Sampdoria man has been producing one impressive outing after another in the last couple of years and he remains one of the team’s major plus points. With a player of Colombian international Camilo Zuniga’s Caliber unable to play in his favoured position due to Maggio, Napoli should not be worried about anything here. The same thing cannot be said about the other flank, as former Liverpool man Andrea Dossena leaves a lot to be desired, especially that his back up, also being Zuniga, but on his less favored side.
With only two genuine midfielders required in Mazarri’s 3-4-2-1, Walter Gargano, Michele Pazienza, and Hassan Yebda rotating in to those positions last season, it is by no means Napoli’s best department.
Attack: Hamsik is one of the most exciting players in Serie A, despite that the Slovakian is not someone known for his trickery and flair, his thunderous shots beside his endless movement and energy has earnt him his reputation which keeps growing around Europe.
Lavezzi, the Argentine International, provides most of what this side possess in terms of flair and trickery, and is absolutely crucial in Mazarri’s side. The Argentine might not be a 20 goal per season type of forward, but getting by his man is what he is good at, just as providing that killer pass or pin point cross. Cavani, after joining last season, performed way above anyone’s expectations, having taken Serie A by storm last season, scoring for fun, and causing chaos in opposition defenses.
While those three are the recipe of any team’s success, Napoli have no-one on a close level in the squad which could allow the team to survive possible misfortune of an injury to any of their three stars.
Conclusion:
Problem 1: At least one quality centre-back needed.
Problem 2: A left wing back.
Problem 3: Two midfielders which could be considered an upgrade to Pazienza and Yebda last season.
Problem 4: Adding quality depth in attack.
Mercato solutions acquired by the club and writer’s assessment:
Solution of problem 1: Miguel Britos joined from Bologna. A centre-back who just enjoyed a good season, but not the player that could hold Napoli’s defence on his shoulders. If the club can afford someone like that, they should not hesitate and make a purchase.
Solution of problem 2: No movement, no links being made. A quality left wing back who can offer an attacking outlet as good as that they have on the right will be such a huge upgrade on this Napoli side. Udinese’s Pablo Armero might be the best possible player Napoli could go after right now.
Solution of problem 3: Gokhan Inler from Udinese and Marco Donadel from Fiorentina arrived. A huge upgrade on last season’s players and it will be easy for Napoli followers to see this next season.
Solution of problem 4: No enforcements yet, no concrete interest yet shown in anybody, but some players are being linked by the media. Napoli need quality back up in their attack, Edinson Cavani has no real replacement, and links were made to Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, this writer sees Amauri as a more suitable player for Napoli right now.
Overall Assessment: Napoli are going into a very important season, it’s this season which will decide whether they’ll be able to make the step up in quality and become a consistent challenger for the top spots in Serie A, and at the same time be able to show their worth in Europe.
The competition in Serie A is only getting tougher, and it’s going to be hard for the southern side to keep itself a place at the top beside the wealthier giants in the north, though writing them off is probably not the best idea.
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