Napoli close in on Andy Diouf, face international rivals | OneFootball

Leipzig, Stuttgart, and Crystal Palace are Napoli’s rivals in the transfer market for Andy Diouf of Lens. According to the French specialist site Footmercato, there are other clubs interested in the strong French midfielder, class of 2003, who had already been followed by Betis and Bayer Leverkusen. However, Napoli is now accelerating and in the coming days there will be further contacts beyond the first official offer made.

Napoli, pressing for Andy Diouf: negotiations close to a breakthrough but there is international competition

Napoli is speeding up in the transfer market and is decisively targeting Andy Diouf, the 2003-born midfielder from Lens and France Under 21. The young midfielder has become the main target to strengthen Antonio Conte’s squad, who has requested a reinforcement in midfield ahead of the new season.

The negotiation with Lens

According to journalist Ciro Venerato on Rai Sport, the negotiation between Napoli and Lens is now close to completion. Some economic details remain to be ironed out: about 3 million euros difference between demand and offer, in addition to bonuses and a possible percentage on future resale that could lower the overall cost of the transfer.

The player’s agents have already reached an agreement with the Neapolitan club: a five-year contract with an initial salary of 1.3 million euros plus bonuses, set to increase progressively in the following seasons. Next week could prove decisive for reaching a final agreement.

Competition and market value

Napoli is not the only team tracking Diouf. Crystal Palace, Leipzig, and Stuttgart are also interested in the midfielder, a sign of how the player is considered one of the most interesting prospects in Europe in his role.

Lens, which has already sold two midfielders in this transfer window, values Diouf at around 23-25 million euros. It’s a significant sum, but justified by the player’s age and potential, who also enjoys “under” status for UEFA squad lists, a detail that increases his appeal for clubs competing on multiple fronts.

His role in Conte’s project

Antonio Conte considers the arrival of a midfielder a crucial step for his technical project. In addition to the classic 4-3-3, the coach has tested a 4-1-4-1 formation that would allow him to field the four top midfielders at the same time. In this context, Diouf would be a young, dynamic, and promising alternative, capable of providing balance and depth to the midfield.

Napoli is therefore trying to close the deal as soon as possible, to put Conte in a position to work with an almost complete squad from the very first matchdays of the league.

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