The summer window is barely creaking open and already the rumour mill in Italy is churning out some fascinating subplots. GoalZaza understands that Na...
The summer window is barely creaking open and already the rumour mill in Italy is churning out some fascinating subplots. GoalZaza understands that Napoli have cast a curious eye over a former Manchester United goalkeeper, a move that suggests Antonio Conte is already planning for life beyond the current campaign. It is a piece of business that feels both pragmatic and quietly ambitious, exactly the sort of trick that has defined the Partenopei's recent recruitment.Let us talk about the elephant in the room, shall we That elephant being Sergej Milinkovic Savic. The Serbian midfielder has long been linked with a switch to the San Paolo, but the story now carries a slight chill. Reports suggest that talks have not progressed as smoothly as Napoli would have liked, with the Lazio man's camp playing a patient game while the club explores alternative targets. It is a familiar dance in the transfer market, the sort of standoff that can either sharpen a club's resolve or force them into a delightful Plan B.And what a Plan B this might be. A former United goalkeeper, presumably David de Gea given the noise coming out of the peninsula, would bring vast experience and a level of technical assurance that Napoli have sometimes lacked between the sticks. De Gea's shot stopping remains elite, even if his distribution and command of the box have drawn occasional criticism. Under Conte's tutelage, could we see a reinvention The man knows how to build a low block and spring devastating transitional play, and a goalkeeper comfortable with his back to the wall is a rare commodity.Of course, there is the small matter of wages. De Gea's demands would be significant, even after his departure from Old Trafford. But Napoli, backed by a strong commercial operation and the promise of Champions League football, might just find the financial flexibility to make it happen. The real question is whether the Serbian playmaker will finally sign on the dotted line or whether this goalkeeper curveball is the first sign of a shift in strategy. For now, the twist in the tale is that both operations remain very much alive, and that is precisely how the best transfer sagas should be.So, what is the verdict from here Napoli are a club in need of a goalkeeper who can command his area and a midfielder who can unlock a stubborn defence. If they land both, watch out. If they only manage one, it will still be a summer to remember in Naples. But do not write off Milinkovic Savic just yet. The man is a master of playing the waiting game, and so is his agent.
