One of our country’s most important footballers is in serious danger of being released in June, and two Italian biggies are ready to take advantage of it
Un top player italiano può liberarsi a zero: Inter e Milan fiutano l’occasione (Foto: Ansa/LaPresse) – serieanews.com
Some market opportunities arise quietly, almost under the radar. At first they are just rumors, whispers in the right circles. Then, however, they become reality. There is a very important goalkeeper in our league who may be one step away from release.
His contract expires in June and, as of today, there is no agreement for renewal. As of February 1, he is free to deal with whomever he wants, and there is still too little talk about it.
Napoli’s recent history teaches us that similar situations can end badly: Piotr Zielinski left for zero last summer, without the club lifting a finger to retain him. De Laurentiis is no stranger to aggressive strategies on contracts, but the risk of losing even his number one without cashing in is increasingly real.
Officially, everyone downplays the Alex Meret situation, which instead risks being a small time bomb. The club says it is calm, Federico Pastorello, the goalkeeper’s agent, shows no concern. Yet, reality tells otherwise. Meret’s renewals have always been short-term, a sign that confidence in him has never been absolute.
Why, then, should Naples now offer him a long contract and armor as a true pillar of the project the one who was the number 1 of the Scudetto?
Then there is another aspect: the relationship with the environment. Despite a strong season, Meret has always lived on a fine line between trust and skepticism. For years it has been said that the club should look for a more “modern” goalkeeper, stronger with his feet, better suited to certain ideas of the game. In short, the classic case where love has never really blossomed.
Napoli, occhio a Meret: Milan e Inter sono pronte ad approfittarne
If Napoli is wavering, other teams could sink in. And in Italy, there are two that may be thinking seriously about it, and probably even already are: Inter and Milan.
Napoli, occhio a Meret: Milan e Inter sono pronte ad approfittarne (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
At the Nerazzurri, Yann Sommer is having an excellent season, but he will turn 37 in December. Simone Inzaghi has no immediate problems in goal, but he knows the issue will have to be addressed soon. Inter took Josep Martinez and also seems to have had immediate good responses from him, but Meret at zero would be too good an opportunity for someone like Marotta.
On the other side of Milan, the problem is more urgent. Mike Maignan is having a very complicated season: fluctuating performances, some heavy mistakes, many doubts about his future. His contract expires in 2026, but if he does not renew, a transfer in the summer becomes a real possibility. And without the Frenchman, Milan would need a new number one. Meret, on a zero-parameter basis, would be ideal to settle the matter without having to shell out crazy amounts of money.
Time is running out, and the feeling is that the situation is less under control than they want people to believe. Meret has never raised his voice or forced his hand to leave, but it is not certain that he will sit still and wait. If indeed Inter and Milan make a move, what will Napoli do?
The mistake with Zielinski still weighs heavily, and repeating it would be a problem. The difference is that, this time, the blue club still has some margin to avoid a mockery. But the time for choices is coming to an end.
This article A top Italian player may free himself at zero: Inter and Milan sniff the opportunity appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
