Napoli Open Talks for Feyenoord Star Igor Paixao | OneFootball

Napoli and Feyenoord have reportedly held preliminary talks over Igor Paixao’s potential summer transfer to Serie A. According to Calciomercato, the Scudetto hopefuls have tested the waters for the sought-after forward.

Despite offloading star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain this winter, Napoli failed to sign an adequate replacement in the January transfer window. Noah Okafor arrived on a short-term loan from Milan but will likely return to the San Siro in the summer.

Okafor will likely be on the bench when Napoli take on Milan in tonight’s Serie A blockbuster on home turf. The Swiss forward’s unenviable form since joining Antonio Conte’s side two months ago has failed to convince the club to trigger a buyout option.

As such, Napoli remain in the market for the Georgia international’s long-term replacement. Paixao has emerged as a suitable candidate to fill Kvaratskhelia’s shoes, but he won’t come cheap. The 24-year-old’s price tag has skyrocketed amid an impressive campaign.

Indeed, Paixao has racked up nine goals and provided 11 assists across 25 Eredivisie appearances. Furthermore, he was the architect of Feyenoord’s stunning win against Milan in the Champions League knockout playoffs, attracting interest from Atalanta and Napoli.

Aware of Paixao’s meteoric rise, the Dutch heavyweights have slapped a substantial €30 million price tag on the Brazilian’s shoulders. On top of that, they’ll likely require add-ons to sanction his departure, meaning Napoli will probably have to allocate a large portion of their summer budget to lure Paixao to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.