Napoli had a chance to reinforce itself with a smart strike, but hesitated too long. Now Juventus is ready to take advantage, adding quality to its defense
Inter, super colpo in attacco: Marotta ha trovato l’accordo con il classe 2005 (SerieANews.com)
The January market is that crazy period when teams try to fix the troubles accumulated in the previous months. There are those who take advantage of bargains and those, on the other hand, who stand by and then eat their hands. Here, Napoli ended up in the second category.
After a disastrous autumn, a turnaround was needed. Antonio Conte had asked for clear reinforcements: a solid defender and a striker who could provide real alternatives. Result? A hastily made incoming operation – Okafor to replace Kvaratskhelia, sold with questionable timing – and a defense left at the mercy of events.
Inter, accordo con Francesco Pio Esposito: i dettagli
Yet, a simple solution was there. Diego Coppola, class of 2003, a defender who would have solved the problem without too many bureaucratic entanglements. But Napoli hesitated, stalled, waited. And now who is preparing to get him? Juventus.
Inter, accordo con Francesco Pio Esposito: i dettagli (LaPresse) – SerieANews.com
In January, everything revolved around Danilo’s arrival. The Neapolitan leadership was convinced that the Brazilian would accept the transfer, so much so that no real alternatives were considered. Then, however, the Juventus captain changed his mind, and the house of cards collapsed.
In a general panic, an attempt was made to get Comuzzo from Fiorentina, but the purple club shot high, too high. And so Napoli was left holding the bag. At that point, the need for a defender was obvious, but regulatory constraints blocked any move. Rafa Marín, a redundancy Conte did not want, would not free up a slot on the list because he was considered under.
And that is where Coppola comes in. The 2003 class from Verona would have been perfect: young, futuristic and, above all, purchasable without impacting the roster. A 10 million euro deal, an affordable figure for Napoli’s coffers. But nothing, it was preferred to wait.
Meanwhile, Coppola has continued to play, to grow, to impress. The latest evidence? That against Juventus, a match that sparked something in Giuntoli’s head. The Juventus executive, always on the lookout for emerging talent, decided not to waste any time.
