Gokhan Inler has bid farewell to the Napoli fans after completing his move to Premier League side Leicester City.
The Swiss international claimed that it was too difficult for him to express his emotions so he instead adapted the song ‘Napule è’ by the late Neapolitan signer Pino Daniele to convey his message in a mixture of Italian and dialect.
“Dear Napoli, it’s difficult, really difficult after four years,” said Inler in an open letter posted on his Twitter account.
“Therefore, I thought it might be better to say goodbye like this; by asking to borrow something from uncle Pino [Daniele] and then giving it back to you.
“You marvellous people, you sing this song all the time like a promise of eternal love.”
The midfielder then proceeded to intertwine his own sentiments with the song’s original lyrics.
“Napoli is a thousand colours: Ones that I’ll carry everyday in my heart and on my skin,” said Inler.
“Napoli is a thousand fears: That you learn to love and can’t make do without.
“Napoli is the voices of a thousand children, slowly rising so you know that you are not alone: That is a unique feeling, this voice which captures your soul.
“Napoli is a bitter sun: But one that is actually sweet and can be found behind every cloud.
“Napoli is the smell of the sea: A sea in which you lose yourself and can’t make do without it.
“Napoli is a piece of dirty paper and nobody cares as they just wait for their fate: Yes, but that piece of paper will be with me everywhere I go and I’m also waiting for my fate.
“Napoli is a walk through the alleys: In the alleys, among the people, I have spent some fantastic days.
“Napoli is a big sleep and the whole world knows it, but they don’t know the truth: I know it [the truth], I discovered it, I loved it, I’ve secured it in my heart and it’s for that reason why my eyes are wet; they’ve been touched by this sea and this land.
“This is my land, bye lads.
“Forza Napoli always!”
