After months of speculation linking Norwegian talent Ola Solbakken to a move to Italy – to capital giants Roma in particular – it is Napoli who have seemingly won the race for his signature. In a surprising turn of events, the Partenopei have reportedly reached a settlement for the Bodo/Glimt attacker after intensifying talks in recent weeks.
As per the Campania edition of Corriere dello Sport, Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli made waves with respect to the club’s immediate needs of onboarding a winger by contacting Bodo/Glimt to enquire about Solbakken’s availability.
#Napoli, ecco #Solbakken: bruciata la #Roma ? https://t.co/IlxUTRIuoQ
— Corriere dello Sport (@CorSport) July 20, 2022
The 23-year-old’s contract in Norway expires in December, and it is still not confirmed whether he would be arriving before the end of the year or during the winter transfer window as a free agent.
Solbakken was inches away from securing a move to Roma after impressing in the Conference League against the Giallorossi, but off-putting relations between the two clubs after their repeated encounters decelerated any potential talks. He was also recently spotted in the capital. However, it is Napoli who are frontrunners to pen down his signature.
Regular injuries have marred the youngster’s progress in recent months. Taking that into consideration, Napoli are yet to decide whether to onboard him immediately or after six months.
Our Take on Napoli Signing Solbakken
Solbakken is an enigmatic attacker who is versatile enough to feature on either wing. With Napoli already having welcomed mercurial Georgian wonderkid Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, it will be exciting to see how Spalletti indulges both starlets into his newly-experimented 4-3-3 formation that has Nigerian marksman Victor Osimhen upfront.