An agreement has been reached between the Dutchman and Galatasaray; the striker is considering Nottingham Forest. Manna is targeting En-Nesyri, while tomorrow’s match in Copenhagen is crucial for Napoli’s European hopes

In the age of social media, every bit of news makes a splash. And Noa Lang’s decision to change his profile picture just last night seems like a revelation about the future. Yes, the Dutchman is truly on the verge of leaving. Napoli and Galatasaray are said to have quickly reached a preliminary agreement for Lang’s loan with an option to buy, with the Turkish club willing to guarantee the player the same salary he currently earns at Napoli. A deal is on the horizon, then. But there’s no rush on the horizon: Napoli is already short-handed, and tomorrow in Copenhagen, a huge slice of their European future is at stake. For this reason, the situation will remain on hold for a few more days, partly because Napoli needs to secure Lang’s potential replacement first, and only then can they release the Dutchman to Turkey.

In short, the picture has been fairly clear for some time. The limitations of this transfer window are forcing Napoli to move cautiously, but the technical emergency has compelled President De Laurentiis’s club to shake up the negotiations. After all, Cristian Stellini’s appeal at the press conference the other night was all too clear. And obviously, it stemmed from Antonio Conte’s thinking: “We need new players immediately to restore our rotation.” Translation: a boost from the transfer market is needed; we must find the resources outside the club that are currently missing from the Azzurri squad. At least to the extent that Conte deems necessary to keep the Scudetto hopes alive and—above all—to try to secure a spot in the next Champions League, which is crucial for the club’s future. So sporting director Giovanni Manna immediately got to work, managing within a few hours to offload the two current malcontents. In addition to Lang, in fact, Napoli has reportedly found a home for Lorenzo Lucca as well, who has been on Nottingham Forest’s radar for days. Same formula as Lang: a loan with an option to buy—money is needed to make transfers and maintain the famous break-even budget—with a buyout clause. Except that the former Udinese striker is reportedly not yet convinced about the destination. After limited playing time at Napoli, it makes sense to look for a new team that can guarantee a starting role from now until the end of the season.

Azzurri ideas—  Lucca had also ended up on the radar of Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal, which was ready to send Brazilian Marcos Leonardo to Napoli. But the striker’s move to Saudi Arabia fell through, so Napoli got back to work. His departure, however, seems inevitable. And that is why Napoli’s scouting department continues to search for new prospects to satisfy Conte. Manna’s list includes several names, certainly including the Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri, who has asked Fenerbahçe for a transfer: the Turkish club is open to a straight loan, but there is a salary issue. The gap isn’t huge, but it exists: tomorrow the player will return from the Africa Cup of Nations and discuss the situation with his agents, who are well aware that Youssef is very keen on the idea of moving to Italy. And Raheem Sterling, now more of a misfit—rather than simply surplus to requirements—at Chelsea, would also be happy to join Napoli. The Blues would even be willing to contribute significantly to his salary just to get rid of him. Then keep an eye on the Italian front: Daniel Maldini could be a late-window option, though not the only one. But in the meantime, a major signing is needed—one that can put a smile back on Conte’s face and give Napoli an extra weapon for their climb back up the table.