Serie A Icon Explains Why Napoli’s Failure to Land Super Eagles Star Could Cause Conte to Fail

• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left Napoli to join French champions Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth €75 million
• Napoli struggled to replace the Georgian winger and eventually settled for Noah Okafor on loan from AC Milan
• Former Real Madrid forward has called it a wrong move and claimed it could cost Antonio Conte in the title race

A former Serie A striker has explained why Napoli's failure to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia properly could cost the team in the title race this season.

Kvaratskhelia left Napoli to join French giants Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth €75 million including potential add-ons after refusing to extend his contract despite multiple offers from the club.

Napoli considered multiple options to replace the Georgian including Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi and Allan Saint-Maximin from Fenerbahce.

The Neapolitans eventually settled for Swiss striker Noah Okafor. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli will pay AC Milan a loan fee of €1.5mil with an option to buy for €23.5mil.

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Cassano slams Napoli’s transfer business

Former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano has hit out at Napoli's decision not to properly invest the huge funds obtained from the sale of Kvaratskhelia into signing another player.

Cassano noted Conte’s frustration at the club’s transfer policy and labelled it a wrong strategy to sign a player on loan to replace a big star sold for a huge fee.

“In February, no one imagined that Napoli would be first, without conceding too many games, and what do you do? You take €75 million from Kvara and buy Okafor on loan. For me, it was the wrong strategy,” he told Viva El Futbol via Il Napoli.

He noted that among the options considered, Super Eagles star Lookman was the best, as he comes in slightly cheaper than what they got from selling Kvara and is already familiar with the Italian league.

“So I say… you took 75 million, Lookman’s release clause (even if he’s injured now) is 55 million… you give them Raspadori and you take a ready player who makes the difference, knows Serie A, and Inter should be afraid,” he said.

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“A huge mistake not to take a high-level player to replace Kvara. In my opinion, the club thought that arriving in the top four was a miracle and that next year you could spend a nest egg. Conte will be fuming.”

Despite Cassano wishing Napoli had gone for Lookman, Atalanta will not be willing to sell to a direct rival, even at that in January after wading off PSG’s interest.

Lookman's injury is affecting Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who are winless in three games, with two draws against Barcelona in the Champions League and Torino in the league, and were eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Bologna.

Napoli allocate Osimhen's number

Legit.ng reported that Napoli allocated Victor Osimhen's jersey number to new signing Noah Okafor, which is another hint that the striker will never play for the club again.

The Neapolitans tried to give it away even before Osimhen left, but Romelu Lukaku rejected it out of respect for the Nigerian after joining from Chelsea.

Source: Legit.ng