Napoli Transfer Market: A Plan for the Offense Leads to Marseille
Gabriel Jesus remains at the top of Napoli’s list to bolster their offense. Allegri would like to add a striker to the roster with different characteristics than Hojlund and Lucca, in order to have more options on offense. The Brazilian, born in 1997, could be the right opportunity: Arsenal has listed him as available for transfer, and his valuation is reportedly under 20 million euros. Furthermore, Arteta hasn’t called him up since the Community Shield match against Manchester City—another sign of a possible parting of ways. Before making a move, however, Napoli must find a new club for Noa Lang.
The Azzurri are also exploring other options in case the Jesus deal falls through. One of the names being monitored is Marc Guiu, a 20-year-old Spanish forward from Chelsea, who is highly regarded for his potential and considered a sound investment for the future. The London club is reportedly asking for approximately 25 million pounds—just over 29 million euros—plus a percentage of any future transfer fee. Also on the list is Amine Gouiri, a 26-year-old from Olympique de Marseille, another possible option to bolster Allegri’s attacking lineup.
As for Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian has reportedly already expressed his interest in a move to Naples. The player, represented in Italy by Branchini, has no intention of renewing his contract with the Gunners and wants a permanent transfer, categorically ruling out a loan deal. His priority is to continue his career at a club competing in the Champions League—a requirement that Napoli fully meets. The main obstacle to the deal, however, remains his salary: Jesus currently earns approximately 15 million euros gross per season, a figure that requires a significant reduction in his financial demands to make the deal feasible.
Lorenzo Lucca’s situation is closely tied to Napoli’s incoming signings on the offensive front. The club invested 35 million euros to sign him from Udinese and has no intention of offering a discount or accepting a loan deal. Trabzonspor has shown interest in him, viewing him as a potential reinforcement to pair with Mohamed Salah, while in Italy, Torino has made a loan offer with an option to buy—a proposal the Neapolitan club does not favor.
It should not be forgotten that Napoli’s list of attacking targets previously also included Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, both of whom were evaluated by the club’s management in recent weeks. For Jackson, however, they would have had to beat out competition from Aston Villa, while for Zirkzee, a bidding war with Juventus loomed. The path leading to Jesus, however, appears to be the one favored by Allegri, who considers the Brazilian the ideal fit based on his technical skills and international experience—provided that an agreement can be reached on his salary and that Lang’s transfer is finalized in time before the transfer window closes.
