Napoli key midfield target could stay at current club

Antonio Conte had an excellent first season at Napoli, taking them to the clubs fourth scudetto title. Conte decided to stay in Naples despite rumours speculating a move to Turin to join Juventus. And now he is looking to defend Napoli status as the Italian Champions this season.

However, it won’t be as easy as last season, Napoli are now playing in the Champions League. This will see the club play eight midweek games, making squad rotation key. This wasn’t an issue for them last season, only playing once a week, which kept the whole squad healthy and match fit.

They have also faced more injuries this season, with star striker Romelu Lukaku going down for multiple months in pre-seasons. Napoli had enough time to sign Lorenzo Lucca and Rasmus Hojlund to replace Lukaku while he was out injured. However, they have had mid-season in midfield.

Both Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa have gone down with long term injuries. This leaves Napoli out of depth in midfield, especially with Stanislav Lobotka still recovering from injury. This left with Napoli looking to making a signing to replace the injured.

The main name that Napoli where chasing is Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United. The youngster has failed to make a name for himself under Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. This has left him looking for a loan move away from Manchester to find more playing time, which is why Napoli was an appealing option.

But, according to CalcioMercato the deal is off, as Mainoo looks to extend his contract in Manchester. Currently his contract at United expires at the end of next season. But, the extension is to raise his wage as a vote of confidence to stay in Manchester, instead of demanding a move away.