Napoli leave Pereyra with the Primavera, eye a Serie B loan

Paolo Del Genio says the young Argentine forward isn't ready for Allegri's first team, and the same break-time conversation turned to Napoli's shortage of goals and a possible switch to a 3-4-2-1 with Giovane behind Højlund.

by Gennaro SanninoFriday 2 October, 20:40 CET· 2 hours ago

Pereyra non è pronto: il Napoli lo lascia in Primavera, idea prestito in B per il futuro — Grafica Arena Napoli

The decision on Milton Pereyra is made, and it leaves no room for debate: the young Argentine forward stays with the Primavera, Napoli's youth team.

Journalist Paolo Del Genio broke the news on Kiss Kiss radio, answering supporters' questions during the international break.

"The boy isn't ready yet to play for Napoli's first team, but he has gone to strengthen the Primavera. If he does well next season, he might be sent out to play somewhere else, maybe in Serie B, to develop further."

Pereyra does not appear in head coach Allegri's available squad. For now, his path runs through another pitch.

A bigger problem up front

It's a detail that fits into something larger: Napoli have struggled for five matchdays running to create scoring chances. Ninth place with 7 points — two wins, a draw and two defeats — tells the story of an attack that isn't producing. Lucca still hasn't scored this season, just two goals in total since he joined Napoli, and Højlund is often left isolated up front, without support in the passing lanes.

The Giovane question

On this front, Del Genio offered a precise tactical reading, different from the back-three talk that circulated in recent days before being denied in the friendly against Avellino: "With Giovane and De Bruyne both involved, Napoli wouldn't line up in a 3-4-1-2, but a 3-4-2-1. In my view, the Brazilian does better playing behind the Dane than out wide." The distinction isn't just semantic: it means handing Giovane a role as a pure attacking midfielder behind the striker, rather than stationing him wide alongside a second forward.

The real issue, though, remains open. As long as Lucca doesn't break his drought and Højlund keeps playing alone against two or three defenders, any formation risks being a patch on a structural problem: Napoli's attack isn't scoring enough because the players meant to finish chances aren't delivering what they cost, and no tactical plan alone can change that. The club knows it, and has already sent Lucca — through his agent, Beppe Riso — an unambiguous message: October is the month to prove it, or the talk of a sale returns in January.

Frosinone visit the Maradona on Saturday 10 October at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET) — the first real chance to see whether the ideas from the break, formation included, turn into actual goals, or remain another argument in a season that has already produced too many of them.