Napoli Forced to Pivot Due to Their Worsening Finances | OneFootball

Napoli could only sign players on loan in January because of a financial parameter, the squad cost ratio, which weighs the difference between the club’s income and the disbursement to build the roster. They’ll have more leeway, as the percentage will drop from 80 to 70 percent, but they are poised for a less-than-lavish summer anyway, Calcio e Finanza points out.

The Partenopei missed out on a sizeable slice of the UEFA Champions League prize money by bowing out in the group phase. Missing out on the top four would be significantly more detrimental, but they are in the driver’s seat thanks to a small cushion over their chasers. Plus, they are getting some pieces back, as Kevin De Bruyne and Frank Anguissa returned from injury in the last match.

Napoli closed the 2024/2025 campaign in the red by €21M. The costs ballooned from €244.4 to €315.6M with Antonio Conte at the helm. They’ll lose about €30M this season, even if they do qualify.

Their payroll has been rising constantly since they won the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti. The plan for the next window is to keep the spending on salaries in check, perhaps even sacrificing some of their veterans, and cover the expected deficit through player trading.

Our Take on Napoli

They have long been one of the most virtuous sides financially, but winning comes at a price, and not following it up adequately at an ever higher one. They have already started their new course in January, and Alisson Santos has been a coup. It won’t hurt to add more starlets if they keep most of their current players, while Conte might have something to say if they straight-up replace them.