Serie A strugglers Napoli have reportedly leapfrogged Juventus and other clubs in the race to sign Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso. According to TMW, Antonio Conte wants the Spaniard to become a focal point of his three-man backline at the Diego Maradona Stadium.
Hermoso has been on Juventus’ radar for months. Even the new Serie A champions Inter are in the mix, though their interest has recently diminished. Napoli have spotted a window of opportunity and want to act on it after Conte personally requested the 28-year-old’s arrival.
Despite his household status at the Wanda Metropolitano, Hermoso has refused to pledge his allegiance to Atletico Madrid. His contract runs out at the end of the month, and Napoli will try to lure him to Italy. Capturing a player of his quality without spending a dime would be a massive coup for the Partenopei.
Conte has quickly recognized the necessity to strengthen Napoli’s defense. With that in mind, Napoli have placed a watchful eye on Torino’s Alessandro Buongiorno. But he’d cost a small fortune, while Hermoso’s acquisition wouldn’t hurt the club’s finances.
Ideally, Napoli would bring both players to South Italy. To achieve that, Aurelio De Laurentiis must first address Victor Osimhen’s future. The Nigerian’s fate is up in the air after a below-par 2023/24 season resulted in his old suitors walking away.
Napoli were supposed to raise funds for Conte’s spending spree from Osimhen’s sale. But that’s now in doubt. Unless they can find a way to offload their unsettled star, their recruitment campaign could stall, jeopardizing their plans to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.
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