Were Napoli right to not match Nottingham Forest’s offer for Ndoye? | OneFootball

Bologna will seal one of the club’s most profitable sales ever once Dan Ndoye’s transfer to Nottingham Forest is announced, but Football Italia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà suggests that Napoli, who had also been chasing the Switzerland international this summer, were right to not overpay for his services.

Forest and Bologna have an agreement in place over a deal that could potentially be worth around €45m with bonuses included, not forgetting a considerable sell-on clause that could see the total earnings from the Ndoye sale rise past the €50m mark.

While Ndoye has impressed with his performances during his two-year stay at the Dall’Ara, Pedullà suggests that his numbers in terms of goals and assists haven’t been earth-shattering and that Forest are paying for potential rather than for proven attacking returns.

ROME, ITALY – MAY 14: Dan Ndoye of Bologna celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Coppa Italia Final match between AC Milan and Bologna at Stadio Olimpico on May 14, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images) (Napoli links)

Pedullà also suggests that if Ndoye is worth potentially €45m or even up to €50m, then Atalanta should potentially be seeking a fee in excess of €70m for somebody like Ademola Lookman, who provided 27 goal involvements from 40 appearances last season, and is instead being linked with a €50m move to Inter.

What Alfredo Pedullà says about Ndoye’s €45m Nottingham Forest move

In his weekly column (via CaughtOffside), Pedullà wrote: “Honestly, I appreciated that Napoli didn’t break the bank for Dan Ndoye. Let’s recognise that the forward is a good player, potentially a great one, but he’s not worth €40m/42m, reaching €45m with add-ons and a sell-on clause that could push the transfer package close to €50m.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 10: Dan Ndoye #11 of Switzerland looks on prior to the match against the United States at GEODIS Park on June 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

“Nottingham Forest, like many English clubs, have no problem tossing in millions like it’s peanuts. Good for Bologna, credit to everyone involved in their transfer dealings because they know how to sell gold as if it were platinum and they set the terms without budging an inch. They’ve done with Zirkzee and Calafiori, as well as with Beukema, and they continue to highlight the ‘positive balance sheet’ line, a trademark that deserves credit.

“As for their strategy on incoming players, opinions may differ. Immobile might score goals, but I wouldn’t have brought back someone who left last summer supposedly for a ‘life choice’ (whatever that was), only to reverse it in just a few months. Italiano has the situation under control, we’ll see if he can repeat his success in the new season.

ROME, ITALY – MAY 14: Dan Ndoye of Bologna celebrates after the team’s victory in the Coppa Italia Final match between AC Milan and Bologna at Stadio Olimpico on May 14, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)

“I’d like to explain why Ndoye shouldn’t be worth well over €40m. If that were the case, Atalanta should ask €90m for Lookman, and Napoli should have gone close to €100m for Kvaratskhelia. I’ve always been told that the valuation logically follows performance: if you don’t reach double digits for goals and assists, you can’t expect to demand the moon. In England, they clearly don’t think that way, they often focus on the future, on potential rather than past results.

“Everyone is free to operate as they wish, but from my point of view, Bologna’s happiness matches Napoli’s peace of mind in not making an investment that, considering quality-output-price, could have turned out to be unpleasant.”