Napoli rethink plans: Mainoo out, Lucca targets Premier League | OneFootball

Budget constraints and new strategies: the Azzurri forced to carefully plan income and expenses

Napoli, zero-balance January transfer window: the club revises its plans, Mainoo drifts away and Lucca looks to the Premier League

Napoli’s winter transfer window is shaping up to be very different from what we’ve seen in recent years. The decision by the Club Financial Oversight Commission requires the Azzurri to operate with a zero-balance session, a restriction that significantly limits the management’s room for maneuver. Essentially, the club can only bring in new players after freeing up resources through sales or outgoing loans.

This new regulatory framework forces Aurelio De Laurentiis and the sporting department to evaluate every move with extreme care, prioritizing economic sustainability and financial balance over expensive deals.

Mainoo increasingly out of reach: midfield already competitive

In light of this scenario, the pursuit of Kobbie Mainoo is becoming increasingly complicated. The Manchester United midfielder had been identified as a highly promising reinforcement for Antonio Conte’s midfield, but the current conditions make the deal highly unlikely.

The gradual return of key players such as Anguissa and De Bruyne, combined with the strong performances of the starters in recent weeks, has given Napoli a midfield that is already very competitive. For this reason, a major investment now seems less urgent than it did a few weeks ago.

For negotiations to reopen, two difficult conditions would have to be met: “Manchester United’s willingness to let Mainoo go for almost nothing” and “a Napoli departure of equal economic value.” At the moment, this scenario is considered unrealistic.

Possible departures: young players and reserves under observation

With the transfer market blocked on the incoming front, attention inevitably shifts to possible departures. The Azzurri management is evaluating the position of those players who, for various reasons, have found less playing time in the first part of the season.

Among the names likely to leave, especially on loan, are Ambrosino, Marianucci, Mazzocchi, and Vergara. These moves would allow Napoli to lighten the wage bill and, at the same time, guarantee more consistent playing time for the players involved.

Lucca towards England: the Premier League is watching

Attention is also on the situation of Lorenzo Lucca. The striker, penalized by Conte’s system that uses only one center forward—currently occupied by Hojlund, with Lukaku close to returning—risks seeing his playing time further reduced.

For this reason, a loan move for him in January is considered a concrete possibility. There are signs of interest from England, particularly from West Ham, who are looking for a new striker after Füllkrug’s departure to Milan. The Premier League could represent an important opportunity for Lucca to grow and gain continuity.

A January of balance and well-considered choices

Napoli is therefore preparing for a prudent January transfer window. No sensational moves, but careful management of resources and opportunities. In a context of strict constraints, every decision must serve not only the present but also the sustainability of the project in the medium to long term.

Zero balance is not just a limitation, but also a challenge: for the management, who must act wisely; for Conte, who once again will have to make the most of the human resources at his disposal.

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