Will Napoli’s mercato make them serious Scudetto contenders?

It is easy to look at Napoli’s dealings in the transfer market so far this summer and have your eye immediately drawn to one unmistakable name in the ‘Out’ column.

Of course, it is difficult to wave goodbye to a man who was the peninsula’s highest scoring marksman last season and who scored 104 goals in 138 matches in his three years at the San Paolo.

That man is of course the outstanding Edinson Cavani, but this is not something that will hinder the Partenopei going into the new campaign.

Not only because, despite ending the season top scorer, there were signs last year from January onward that his unhappiness in his private life and in Naples in general was causing him problems on the field. His head seemed to droop when things were not going his way and he and his family did themselves no favours by refusing to ever fully commit his future to the club.

Yet, he has now departed and his name belongs to the list of Napoli greats who came and went along with Diego Maradona, Giuseppe Bruscolotti and Careca. The man, and indeed men, who have been brought in to replace him and others who have waved goodbye to Rafael Benitez’s side this summer, should see them mount their biggest assault yet on becoming champions of Italy for the first time since 1990.

Possibly the biggest name in world football, Real Madrid, have had their ranks plundered this summer for three top quality players who will add their class to the ranks of the Italian side. The goals of ‘El Matador’ have been replaced by Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon, two players who could immediately become first team starters and add more than healthy competition, if Lorenzo Insigne and Goran Pandev want to force themselves into the coach’s plans.

For those who doubted the Partenopei’s willingness to make the statements required to take that step from nearly men to the best in the country, then this is a real signal of intent. Higuain is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe having been chased by all of Italy’s big three and Arsenal at one time or another over the past year and quite why Madrid are allowing him to leave remains surprising given his success in front of goal.

He leaves the Bernabeu with a record of 122 goals and 46 assists in 264 appearances in all competitions and should have no problems adjusting to life in Italy. If he can come close to the success of a certain compatriot of his in this part of the world during the 1980s, then the Vesuviani will be on to a winner.

The acquisition of Callejon is also a clever one as his work rate and reputation as a big game player should see Benitez get the best out of him, especially if he is deployed in the middle rather than in a wider areas.

As if that were not enough to help them in the creative and attacking side of things going into the new season, Belgian danger man Dries Mertens has also been recruited for a fee in the region of €10 million and he could go on to prove himself to be one of the signings of the season.

His displays for his national side and in Europe with PSV Eindhoven have always impressed and could be one of the difference-making acquisitions that cement Napoli’s position at the top of parapet alongside Juventus and separate them from clubs like AC Milan and Fiorentina.

However, attacking has never really been the Achilles heel of this club and has often been something they do very well from the days of Maradona up to the Three Tenors sides of recent years. But it has often been defensively where they have let their loyal band of followers down.

A cumbersome defence that can be criticised of being too slow with very good reason and prone to some serious clangers has also been strengthened. The clumsy Salvatore Aronica was dispersed with in January and reliable Hugo Campagnaro waved goodbye to join Inter this summer.

One man who moved the other way is the returning Walter Gargano following his loan spell at San Siro and if he can rediscover the form and defensive midfield partnership he had with Gokhan Inler before leaving then the Partenopei will be on to a real winner.

Spanish international Raul Albiol was the third man recruited from Real Madrid and should form a solid central defensive partnership with Paolo Cannavaro.

Morgan De Sanctis was a man who often bore the brunt of criticism from fans for his high-profile mistakes and could be suspect from drives from distance as well as aerial balls but he is now a Roma player and has been replaced with a player of the highest quality in another Spanish international, Pepe Reina who arrives on loan from Liverpool.

Arguably this is the best mercato anyone in Italy has enjoyed this summer (certainly rivaling that of Juventus) and has put the Partenopei into very real title contention.

Each arrival has added something special to an already strong squad and if Inler, Marek Hamsik, Blerim Dzemaili and Christian Maggio all play to their best and Lorenzo Insigne’s progression continues then this is going to be a side who should be able to fight for the top honours, especially under the guidance of one of Europe’s top tacticians in Rafa Benitez.