Napoli Join Nottingham Forest in the Race for Lazio Stalwart | OneFootball

After lifting the Scudetto trophy, Napoli are already laying plans for next season, and this could include Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni.

The Background

Partenopei manager Antonio Conte described his latest achievement as a ‘miracle’ in a reference to the squad at his disposal which was considered no match to Inter Milan’s. But while this might be an exaggeration on the 55-year-old’s part, Napoli certainly need to bolster their ranks to cope with their packed schedule next season, which will include Champions League football.

Napoli Keeping Tabs on Mattia Zaccagni

According to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the newly-crowned Italian champions have already set clear targets ahead of the summer. The Mercato expert reveals the Azzurri’s shortlist, which surprisingly includes Zaccagni.

Kvara’s Replacement?

Pedulla reveals that the 29-year-old is very popular among the Napoli hierarchy. It should be noted that the Partenopei haven’t properly replaced Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who was sold to Paris Saint-Germain in January, as they only added Noah Okafor at the time, and the latter had little to no impact over the past few months.

Nottingham Forest Also Linked with Zaccagni

However, it remains to be seen if Lazio president Claudio Lotito would be willing to sell his club captain in the summer, especially to a domestic rival. Earlier this week, Zaccagni was also linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, so one would imagine that the Biancocelesti would prefer to offload their top star abroad if a sale proves inevitable.

(Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

The former Hellas Verona star has been playing his football at the Stadio Olimpico since 2021. He was appointed Lazio skipper last summer following the departure of Ciro Immobile, and also inherited Luis Alberto’s Number 10 jersey. His contract with the club is valid until June 2029.

Napoli’s Glamouros Shortlist

In addition to Zaccagni, Napoli’s shortlist comprises top-notch names, including Jonathan David and Kevin De Bruyne who will be free agents soon, in addition to Bologna defender Sam Beukema and young Inter Milan striker Francesco Pio Esposito.