Napoli’s winter transfer market started on October 8 when their Polish striker Arek Milik was injured on international duty. Ever since the news filtered through that their new summer signing would be missing until the spring, Sporting Director Giuntoli has been working on different options to try to find coach Sarri an adequate replacement.
 

Names such as Pavoletti, Zaza, Muriel and even the man who broke their hearts on Monday evening, Gregoire Defrel, have been mentioned but a new frontrunner looks to have emerged and that is Giovanni Simeone, son of Atletico Madrid’s larger than life coach Diego.  

As he prepares to launch his traditional Christmas movie, President De Laurentiis has been following the 21-year-old with interest since his arrival in Italy and especially this season, where the youngster has been in excellent form for Genoa. Although his club teammate, Leonardo Pavoletti, looks to be an easier option, his injury record is a concern and with a value of around €20 million, he may not ultimately be worth the gamble.


Steve Mitchell @barafundler