Napoli wish to onboard a rock-solid defender next summer and have taken an interest in one of the most intriguing ones on the market, Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande. However, it’ll be mighty hard to capture him, Tuttomercatoweb informed.
It’s far from certain that his team will agree to sell him in the upcoming window. He has been at the club for just 18 months. They acquired him for €7.5M from Midtjylland in January 2022. He’s under contract until 2027 and has a €80M release clause.
Moreover, Napoli will have to combat top-tier teams, like Tottenham, Liverpool, and Juventus, in the Diomande race. Sporting CP have come to grips with Viktor Gyokeres’s departure. They might manage to retain their other stars. Or, at least, they will negotiate from a very strong position.
The Partenopei touched base for the Ivorian ace, but he’s not the favorite to fill the void opened up by the departure of Kim Min-Jae a year ago due to his lofty valuation. The candidacy of David Hancko continues to linger, also thanks to his previous Serie A experience at Fiorentina. Milan and a few Premier League outfits are also showing preliminary interest. He could depart for €30/40M.
Our Take on Napoli and Diomande
Considering the latest dreadful performances of their defense, finding the right man in this role is an even bigger priority than identifying a proper Victor Osimhen heir. They have other offensive weapons when they get going. They desperately need a great leader in the back.
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