The news of Kalidou Koulibaly’s injury has opened a chasm in Napoli’s defense. He who is the certainty of the blue rearguard, he who has returned to very high levels after the high and low levels of the last two years, will now be missing in this first decisive phase of the season. Spalletti’s team will face Atalanta and Leicester from next matchday (in a real play-off to access the elimination phase of the Europa League), Milan and, if the 4/5 weeks are respected, for the Senegalese central also the appointment with Juve on 6 January 2022 is in the balance. The natural replacement within the Napoli squad is Kostas Manolas. The Greek, who was supposed to be the owner alongside the former Genk, however, gradually lost positions in the hierarchy and, thanks to some injuries and the explosion of Rrahmani, was no longer able to return to the starting eleven. The ko of Koulibaly therefore becomes an opportunity to try to take back the place, also because the alternative Juan Jesus is not 100% convincing.
PARTENOPE NO LONGER SINGS – The events on the pitch can thus also change the dynamics of the market with regard to Greek. The siren for Manolas they started singing already last summer and it is not that of Partenope, which he sang his song two years ago. The bewitching song comes from Olympiacos, which still exerts a discreet charm at the central class of ’91 which, having lost the title, he could decide not to melt the wax in his ears in order not to hear, as did his famous ancestor Ulysses. The variable Spalletti plays an important role, who knows the boy better than anyone else, having also had him in Rome:The Tuscan coach could ask him to stay until Koulibaly recovers, also in consideration of an Africa Cup which could further limit the Senegalese’s availability in a very delicate phase of the championship.
THE SUBSTITUTE – In the event that Manolas asks for the sale, Napoli should look for a worthy replacement e the first name in the notebook is that of Marcos Senesi from Feynoord. The Argentine defender, with an Italian passport, expires in 2023 and is the only one who could be ready immediately because despite his young age – 24 years – he has almost 160 professional matches. Manolas must understand what ambitions he has and evaluate which future to choose: Koulibaly’s injury could open up new scenarios and Napoli are waiting.
