Lorenzo Insigne’s 12-year spell at Napoli is drawing to a close as the Italian winger prepares for his final showing in front of the Naples crowd. The 30-year-old will wave goodbye to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona when the Partenopei exchange tackles with Genoa next week.
Insigne made his senior debut for Napoli in January 2010. Fast forward 12 years, the Euro 2020 winner is one of the city’s symbols. He has tallied a whopping 121 goals and 95 assists in 432 appearances en route to becoming the club captain and one of the most beloved figures amongst the Partenopei faithful.
However, the time has come for Insigne to sever ties with Napoli and complete his impending switch across the Atlantic. The Italian forward signed a pre-contract to join the MLS franchise Toronto FC on a free transfer back in January.
It means he is going through his final days in Naples. In fact, next weekend’s clash between Napoli and Genoa will mark Insigne’s ultimate home appearance for the club he has helped grow into a permanent top-five fixture in Serie A over the past decade.
Insigne’s decision not to commit to a new deal amid disagreements with the Napoli bigwig Aurelio De Laurentiis has left a large portion of the club support flabbergasted. And while a minor part of the Naples fan base seems to understand the captain’s choice to depart the club, the others find it unacceptable.
Therefore, Insigne’s farewell home appearance for Napoli will likely take the Diego Maradona crowd through an emotional rollercoaster. As claimed by Calciomercato, next week’s fixture could turn into a nightmare for one of the most loyal players in recent Serie A history.
Insigne, who squandered another penalty in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Torino, will be keen to score in his final outing at the Stadio Diego Maradona. Despite taking his seasonal tally for missed penalties to four, the Napoli captain has earned plaudits from Luciano Spalletti.
It remains to be seen whether Insigne will be able to find the net and say goodbye to the Napoli fans in style. We will know in seven days.