Napoli put Juventus defender Gatti on January list at around €25m

Napoli are tracking Federico Gatti, the Juventus defender, as a possible January signing. The deal would cost around €25m.

Gatti isn't top of the list. For the winter window, sporting director Giovanni Manna's priority is a backup for Højlund who can score goals. That makes sense. Lucca, who arrived from Udinese, hasn't scored this season, and Allegri would want another striker behind the Dane. Gatti is a separate track: a possible reinforcement in defence.

The player and the coach know each other well. In his years at Juventus, Allegri was the coach who developed Gatti. That relationship is why a move to the Maradona as early as January is far from impossible.

A defence that needs help

The numbers say the back line needs strengthening. Napoli have conceded 11 goals in nine matches. Before the trip to Turin, both Allegri and the captain, Di Lorenzo, admitted it. Allegri said: "At certain moments in the match we are missing the defensive phase." Di Lorenzo said: "In the defensive phase we have conceded a few goals."

Injuries make it worse. Buongiorno had surgery on his meniscus and isn't expected back until January 2027. Badiashile, on loan from Chelsea, is out again with a rectus femoris tear and is aiming for a December return. Spinazzola has a hamstring (biceps femoris) tear. Rrahmani went into Sunday's match with flu and a knock to the sternum from the game at Monza.

One figure shows how much Rrahmani matters. With the Kosovan on the pitch, Napoli concede 0.69-0.72 goals a game. Without him it is about 1.7. If he couldn't play, Marianucci would partner Rafa Marín, and Marianucci has yet to start a match this season.

So the need is real. The questions are priorities and money. For Varela, the first-choice attacking target, Monza want about €20m. Add roughly €25m for Gatti and that is €45m in a window that opens on 2 January and closes on 2 February at 20:00 CET. A defender signed in January would also arrive at about the same time Buongiorno is due back.

For a player who isn't the priority, €25m looks like a lot to us. So the question has to be asked: is the club fixing a hole it has now, or building the defence for the next few years? Those two things don't cost the same.

Any signing made because of the player's history with the coach carries another risk. It ties the club's transfer plans to a coach the fanbase is currently criticising, with Napoli seventh on 14 points. Reuniting Gatti with Allegri makes sense if he really sorts out the defence. It doesn't make sense just because the two already know each other.

First comes the match itself. Juventus are level on points with Napoli, and Landucci takes Napoli's bench because Allegri is suspended. Talks with Juventus can wait until afterwards.