Napoli to Keep Manchester United & Sporting CP Loanees | OneFootball

Napoli plot to retain Rasmus Hojlund and Alisson Santos permanently after signing them on initial loans last summer and in January, respectively. The Brazilian speedster hasn’t needed much time to prove his worth, while the former Manchester United striker has been one of their certainties all season long.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PressReader), the Partenopei intend to send a €44M check to Old Trafford regardless of whether they qualify for the UEFA Champions League. They would have to if they did. Following Scott McTominay and Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s injuries, the Dane is now their most utilized player. He has significantly rounded out his game. His production has been fine but not stellar: he has totaled 12 goals and 4 assists, but has scored in just 5 games because of multiple braces.

While Napoli always plotted to retain Hojlund when they first onboarded, it wasn’t a certainty in the case of Alisson Santos, but he has quickly earned it with a pair of scintillating performances. The Azzurri will have to pay €16.5M. He’ll ink a contract until 2031.

The 23-year-old has benefited from some absences to become a starter and bagged a great goal versus Roma, which might turn out to be crucial in the scrum to make the top four.

Our Take on Napoli, Hojlund, and Alisson Santos

These are strong indications that they believe Antonio Conte isn’t going anywhere despite their challenging season and his short-term contract. They needed somebody with David Neres’ skillset, and it’s remarkable that the newcomer has won over their demanding boss right away. The ex-Atalanta starlet has excelled as a reference point and a leader, but they could surely use more production as he won’t be exactly cheap.