Napoli Closes in on top Barcelona target

In a surprising twist in the transfer window, Napoli have emerged as frontrunners to secure a key player heavily linked with Barcelona.

antonio conte, napoli manager
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In a surprising twist in the summer transfer window, Napoli have emerged as frontrunners to secure a key player heavily linked with Barcelona.

The Serie A side, fresh off their Scudetto triumph, is making bold moves to bolster their squad, aiming to outmaneuver the Catalan giants in the race for a versatile forward.

With Barcelona’s transfer plans complicated by financial constraints and internal negotiations, Napoli’s proactive approach could see them land a significant coup, much to the frustration of Hansi Flick’s side.

The player in question is Ademola Lookman, the 27-year-old Atalanta star who has captivated Europe with his explosive performances, as reported by Soccernet.

Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in Atalanta’s UEFA Europa League final triumph two seasons ago, has drawn interest from Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, and Juventus.

Napoli, however, have taken concrete steps, with sporting director Giovanni Manna tabling an offer of €25 million plus Giacomo Raspadori, a deal that could tempt Atalanta given Raspadori’s Serie A pedigree and the cash injection.

Lookman’s 52 goals and 25 assists in 118 games for La Dea make him a prime target for Barcelona, who lack a natural left-sided attacker.

Barcelona’s interest in Lookman stems from Flick’s vision to strengthen the squad after their La Liga and Copa del Rey successes.

With no top-tier left winger, Lookman’s defensive work rate and attacking flair align perfectly with Flick’s system.

However, complications involving Lookman’s agency, which also represents goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, have strained negotiations, as Barcelona pushes to offload the German shot-stopper.

This has given Napoli an edge, with their offer aligning with Atalanta’s €50-60 million valuation range.

If Napoli secures Lookman, it could disrupt Barcelona’s plans, forcing them to pivot to costlier alternatives like Luis Diaz or Rafa Leao.

With Atalanta open to selling before Lookman’s contract nears its 2026 expiry, Barcelona must act swiftly to avoid missing out on their top target.

Napoli’s bold move underscores their ambition to dominate both Serie A and Europe.

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