David Neres is set to join Napoli in a deal worth €28 million from Benfica, following prolonged interest from the Italian club. The agreement was reached yesterday afternoon, with the Brazilian winger expected to arrive in Italy sometime between tomorrow evening and Monday, traveling directly from Lisbon. Upon his arrival, Neres will undergo medical tests at Villa Stuart before heading to Naples to finalize his contract with the club’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Neres, who turns 28 in March, has agreed to a salary of around €3 million net per year, which is nearly one million more than what he earned in Portugal. He was one of the key players requested by Napoli’s manager, Antonio Conte, along with other targets like Billy Gilmour and Romelu Lukaku. Neres is expected to provide an important attacking option on the right flank, enhancing Napoli’s offensive depth, especially as they aim to secure a deal with Chelsea for Lukaku to become their new striker.
Interest in Neres began weeks ago, and he was reportedly keen to move to Napoli, even skipping training sessions with Benfica and missing their opening league match, which ended in a 2-0 loss against Famalicao. The negotiation process with Benfica, however, took longer as they initially demanded €30 million for the Brazilian. Ultimately, Napoli’s sporting director, Mauro Manna, successfully brokered a deal that meets both parties halfway, with Benfica receiving only €2 million less than their asking price, including bonuses.
In Conte’s blueprint for the season, Neres, who began his professional career at São Paulo in 2016 and rose to prominence at Ajax between 2017 and 2022, is seen as a crucial alternative on the right side, especially replacing Matteo Politano, who had a positive impact last season alongside Kvartskhelia. In Napoli’s opening league match in Verona, Giacomo Raspadori is expected to start in attack while they finalize a deal for Lukaku.
Neres is likely to begin training at Napoli’s Castel Volturno facility next Tuesday, with his debut anticipated in eight days at home against Bologna. Known for his left foot but typically playing on the right, Neres will add a creative flair to Napoli’s attacking game. Having enhanced his dribbling skills and tactical awareness during his last season at Ajax and preliminary stint in Portugal, he demonstrated his readiness with five goals and eight assists in 24 matches with Benfica, despite facing setbacks due to injury last winter.
It will be crucial for Conte to facilitate Neres’ integration into the team both on and off the pitch as Napoli seeks new leaders within the squad. Neres’ past experiences could be vital as he steps into this new chapter of his career in Italy.