Napoli coach and president at loggerhead over Osimhen, others, may sign Beto as Eagles striker backup
The coach does not want to lose stars like Kalidou Koulibaly or Fabian Ruiz but the president desires to cut the wage bill
Media reports in Italy suggest that things are getting a little too tense between Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti and president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Spalletti did a decent job last season in charge of the Partenopei, keeping them involved in a three-way title race before they eventually fell off in the tail end of the season.
The team still managed to secure Champions League football, but things are not particularly positive between the fans and the club.
La Gazzetta dello Sport details how there’s many aspects of Napoli that Spalletti and De Laurentiis see differently, from their chances of fighting for the Scudetto next year to the plans for this summer’s transfer window.
The coach does not want to lose stars like Kalidou Koulibaly or Fabian Ruiz but the president’s desire to cut the wage bill could see a number of players depart.
There’s also a chance that Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen could be sold, with serious interest coming from the Premier League.
Fans have accused De Laurentiis of weakening the squad by selling stars and looking to lower the wage bill and things are getting a little too tense now in the Napoli environment.
It will be a decisive few months for the club as the summer transfer window rapidly approaches.
Meanwhile, Spalletti reportedly contemplates submitting a bid for Udinese striker Beto as a backup option for Osimhen.
According to Calciomercato, the Partenopei are readying an offer for the Brazilian marksman.
Beto enjoyed a stellar breakthrough Serie A campaign at the Dacia Arena last season. He bagged 11 goals in 28 league appearances for Udinese while on loan from Primeira Liga outfit Portimonense.
His outstanding maiden season in Italy has persuaded the club to hand him a permanent stay in Serie A. Unfortunately for the Udinese faithful, Beto’s future could be away from Udine.
Napoli relied on Andrea Petagna to deputise for Osimhen last season. However, the Italian striker failed to live up to expectations. Petagna’s poor scoring return has forced Spalletti to consider adding another striker to his ranks.
Beto appears to be Spalletti’s prime objective. It is still uncertain what Udinese may request to let their star goal-getter leave. The Friulani relied on the 24-year-old to keep them safe from relegation. Alongside Gerard Deulofeu, he was one of the club’s best-performing players last term.
Napoli incidentally want the former La Masia product to replace Lorenzo Insigne at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. But Udinese have made it clear they have no intention of allowing their headline performer to leave in the summer.
And while they may miss out on Deulofeu’s signing, Napoli could still rob Udinese off of another high-performance star. Beto ticks all the boxes for the type of player Spalletti is aiming to recruit. Yet, convincing the Dacia Arena side to sanction a deal could prove tricky.
