Papers look to January, but Napoli have Torino to face first

Five days after the 1-1 draw with Lazio and the protests at the Maradona, the Italian papers on Friday 13 November wrote almost only about transfers. On De Bruyne, Alisson Santos and Lang, they flatly contradict each other.

by Gennaro SanninoFriday 13 November, 08:39 CET· 1 hour ago

Torino calcio squadra — Foto: torinofc.it

Napoli are tenth on 15 points, nine behind fourth place, which was the stated target. They have not won in three games. Even so, the papers on Friday 13 November were mostly about the transfer window that reopens on 2 January: who leaves, who stays and who might arrive. On the players who could leave, the papers contradict each other outright, so that is the place to start.

De Bruyne: go now or stay

The two readings on De Bruyne cannot both be true. Il Mattino writes that Napoli would not stand in the way of a January exit: "No walls will be put up." The Corriere dello Sport says the opposite, that the club is not thinking about letting him go in January.

The difference matters. The Belgian's contract runs until June 2027. In the first case Napoli would get some money now. In the second, they would be choosing to keep him for the second half of the season.

"No walls will be put up."

Alisson Santos: untouchable or expendable

It is the same story with Alisson Santos. Sky Sport reports that Napoli have turned down offers of up to €30m. It says the club repeated that message when sporting director Giovanni Manna met the agent Peris. According to Sky, Napoli paid €20m for him.

Il Mattino, however, lists Alisson Santos among the players who could leave. The paper says Lucca could go in January, and the club would try to sell either Neres or Alisson Santos. One paper says he is not for sale. The other says he can be sold.

Lang: three different stories

On Lang, the papers split three ways. The Corriere dello Sport says it is far from certain that he stays: Massimiliano Allegri is counting on him until January, but after that the window could change everything. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Galatasaray are pushing and that Genoa, coached by De Rossi, would love to sign him, though Genoa would need a loan with his wages split. Il Mattino goes against the grain: "His chances of staying are very high."

All this comes after the Sunday when the Maradona whistled him and he answered by cupping his hand to his ear.

Arrivals and injuries

As for incoming players, Sky Sport reports that Manna met Peris, who is also the CEO of Leaderbrock, the agency that represents Varela. Monza would like to keep him until January at least. The Corriere dello Sport writes that Napoli are looking at Cacciamani and Bynoe-Gittens for the left flank. Aurelio De Laurentiis has made a move, but Torino are holding back for now.

The same paper also has news from the treatment room. Beukema is speeding up his recovery with the Torino game in mind, while Neres and Favasuli will do part of Saturday's session with the rest of the squad. Finally, Il Mattino leads on the planned training centre at Qualiano: "The breakthrough could come in 2027."

Our view

The papers describe a Napoli that is buying and selling. But before 2 January there are Torino, Manchester City and Sassuolo to play, and Varela and Cacciamani will play in none of those games.

The papers contradict each other on three players, and that mostly tells us one thing. From the outside, nobody can tell what kind of team the club wants to rebuild. When a club does not explain that, every paper fills the gap in its own way.

Nobody is asking the question that matters. If people are talking in November about breaking up half the squad, then whoever built it in August should answer for it as much as the man who coaches it.