Napoli’s trip to Udine on Saturday will be a chance for President Aurelio De Laurentiis to secure the return of on-loan striker Duvan Zapata.

After numerous press reports linking out of favour West Ham United frontman Simone Zaza as the replacement for Manolo Gabbiadini, it’s now believed that the vesuviani will cut-short the 25-year-old Colombian’s two-year loan deal and bring him back to the San Paolo in January.
 

Since the injury to Polish striker Arek Milik, Italian international Gabbiadini has failed to fill his shoes and could even bid farewell to the club in the new year. Zapata has matured since his move to Friuli and could provide the best low-cost option of filling in until the big Pole is back on the field, which at the moment, will not be before the spring.  

Udinese patron Giampaolo Pozzo will naturally contest the issue but according to “Roma” cannot oppose the strikers return to Napoli, providing the club pays a small penalty clause to the bianconeri.


Steve Mitchell @barafundler