Napoli, is it Beukema’s time? Conte considers debut after Rrahmani injury | OneFootball

Amir Rrahmani’s injury could open the door for Sam Beukema, the Dutch defender who arrived this summer to strengthen Napoli’s back line.

Napoli, is it Beukema’s time? Conte considers his debut after Rrahmani’s injury

Antonio Conte is weighing his options ahead of the upcoming matches against Fiorentina and Manchester City, with the former Bologna player potentially finally getting his chance.

Juan Jesus or Beukema: Conte’s dilemma

Until now, Juan Jesus has replaced Buongiorno in the first two league matches, but Rrahmani’s absence could change the balance. Beukema, who cost 31 million euros, has yet to make his Serie A debut in the blue shirt.

Repubblica recalls how the Dutch defender was tried alongside Buongiorno during last Friday’s friendly against Avellino, an unprecedented pairing that could soon become reality: “With Beukema, patience is needed,” explained Conte. “But Rrahmani’s injury could speed up his integration.”

Beukema: “You can’t say no to Napoli. This team is a religion”

In an exclusive interview with De Telegraaf, Beukema shared his first impressions as a Napoli player: “You can’t say no to this club. Especially now: they’re Italian champions, they play in the Champions League, and they’ve already signed Kevin De Bruyne. After two years in Italy, I know very well what this team represents. The fans are everywhere, even beyond the borders. The crazy thing is that I haven’t even been to the city yet: as soon as I arrived, we left for a 25-day training camp. I can’t wait to visit, it must be incredible.”

The Azzurri culture seen through Dutch eyes

Beukema recounted emblematic episodes of the fans’ passion: “Where everything ends at other clubs, here it begins. In front of the gate, fans literally throw themselves under cars for an autograph. Two weeks ago, in Abruzzo against Girona, the stadium was already full ten hours before the match. I absolutely have to see the Maradona mural and soak up the city’s atmosphere.”

Role models: Krol and De Bruyne as points of reference

On Ruud Krol’s advice: “He told me: if you give everything and treat people with respect, they’ll embrace you and never let you go. I hope they welcome me like that too.”

On Kevin De Bruyne: “We talk a lot, about his experiences at Manchester City and mine at Bologna. Kevin is great, just a really normal guy.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.