Napoli risk transfer ban: Hojlund case strains finances, budget tight | OneFootball

According to Il Messaggero, Napoli might also find itself unable to make moves in the market due to not meeting the ratio between labor costs and revenue.

Napoli, the club at risk of market freeze: the Hojlund case weighs on the accounts and the 80% is already at the limit

The current 80% limit, which already penalized Lazio in the summer, now also concerns the 2023 Italian champions. The situation is further complicated by the imminent deadline of November 30, by which Serie A clubs must present their financial statements to the new Federal Commission.

The Hojlund issue and the weight of the 50 million operation

The Roman newspaper identifies the Hojlund case as one of the most problematic factors. The total investment of 50 million for the Danish forward – 6 million for the loan plus 44 for the mandatory redemption contingent on Champions League qualification – is described as a factor that strongly affects the club's economic sustainability.

According to Il Messaggero, the financial management post-championship has generated "a crazy expense" that today makes Aurelio De Laurentiis's work more delicate. Hojlund's missed penalty against Qarabag or the mere two goals scored so far do not represent a technical problem comparable to the accounting one: the amortization of his card weighs and will continue to weigh on the coming seasons.

Atalanta's proposal on Under 23s and the federal stop

In the recent Federal Council, Atalanta attempted to exclude Under 23s from the calculation of labor costs, thus easing the impact of amortizations in view of the new limit which will drop to 70% in 2026.

However, the FIGC only accepted part of the request: only Under 23s eligible for the Italian national team can be excluded from the count. This detail excludes foreign players like Hojlund, thus nullifying the possibility for Napoli to benefit from this concession.

Il Messaggero summarizes the situation: “Under 23s will be excluded from the calculation, but not foreigners. Only players eligible for the Azzurri can be subtracted from the indicator. The priority is to relaunch the youth sectors, not to lighten the presidents' accounts.”

Not just Napoli: five clubs in structural difficulty

In addition to Napoli, Lazio, Fiorentina, Torino, and Genoa are also in the same risk category. All clubs that, for various reasons, are facing more complex management, especially in view of upcoming restrictions.

Lazio represents the most evident case: already sanctioned last May with a total market freeze for exceeding the three FIGC indicators, it could now again find itself unable to operate in the winter window. Without new revenues, Lotito will only be able to proceed with "zero balance" operations.

The November 30 deadline and the control of the new Commission

By November 30, all Serie A clubs must submit their financial statements reflecting the economic situation as of September 30. The new Commission will analyze the documentation and forward it to the FIGC for final validation.

A crucial step, but not the most feared by the clubs. The real concern is represented by the rules valid from the 2026 season, when the indicator must obligatorily fall within 70%. Failure to comply will inevitably result in a market freeze.

UEFA guidelines and the future of Serie A: farewell to "balance sheet championships"

The Federal Council has confirmed the scheme of new national licenses, fully in line with UEFA guidelines. Clubs will have to adapt quickly because UEFA will remain very strict in applying economic penalties for those who exceed the parameters already in December.

The upcoming season allows no room for error: more capital gains, cost reduction, youth sector enhancement, and extreme attention to amortizations. For many clubs, even those traditionally cautious, a single wrong investment – like that of Hojlund – can compromise an entire sports cycle.

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