Angel Di Maria's time in Europe may be winding down, with his Juventus contract expiring at the end of this season.

The winger, who turned 35 last week, is yet to agree an extension with the Bianconeri, sparking talk he may opt to return to his homeland.

However, the 2022 World Cup winner recently said he was "happy" in Turin, and in Europe, without committing to any direction beyond this season.

TOP STORY – BARCELONA PLOT BID FOR FREE AGENT DI MARIA

Barcelona are weighing up a shock bid to land Angel Di Maria as a free agent at the end of this season, claims Tuttomercatoweb.

Di Maria has previously expressed his desire to one day join hometown club Rosario Central but, at 35, may be tempted by another stint at the top level.

Atletico Madrid are also believed to be interested in the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris-Saint-Germain winger.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich will provide opposition to Paris Saint-Germain and attempt to sign Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Fichajes.

– PSG are keen to bring in Manchester United starlet Alejandro Garnacho, according to Mundo Deportivo. United are trying to extend the 18-year-old Argentinian's contract, which expires in 2024.

– Real Madrid are interested in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Napoli will not sell him for a price lower than €100m, claims Diario AS.

– Newcastle United are monitoring the status of Arsenal's Kiernan Tierney, who has fallen behind Oleksandr Zinchenko as their preferred left-back, according to Football Insider.

– Arsenal are front-runners in the pursuit to sign Inter defender Denzel Dumfries, reports Tuttosport. The Gunners have moved ahead of both Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for the Dutchman's signature.

– Fichajes reports that Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino, Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique are all on Chelsea's shortlist to replace under-pressure manager Graham Potter, although The Mirror claims owner Todd Boehly has no intention of sacking him yet.

Napoli head coach Luciano Spalletti allayed concerns about the condition of Victor Osimhen after the in-form striker appeared to limp off during Friday's win over Sassuolo.

The Nigeria star scored Napoli's second goal in the 2-0 victory at Mapei Stadium after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring.

Osimhen's goal saw him become the first Napoli player to score in seven successive Serie A games during the three-points-for-a-win era (1995-96).

He was taken off six minutes from time and seemed to be limping as he headed for the bench, sparking some concern from supporters with a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on the horizon.

But Spalletti appeared confident his star striker has not suffered any lasting damage and will be fit on Tuesday.

"We have evaluated Osimhen's condition, but it doesn't seem like it's anything out of the ordinary," Spalletti told DAZN after the game.

"He's just a little tired because he can't stop himself. It always seems like he has to do the last two metres, then he just starts running after everyone until he's recovered the ball, so two metres becomes another 200 metres.

"Doctors are investigating, but it doesn't seem like it's anything serious."

After an entertaining first half, the game was much tighter in the second period, seemingly owing to Napoli's ability to see things out in their own manner.

But there was an intensity to their play throughout that undoubtedly contributed to Sassuolo struggling to impose themselves, particularly when they might have been desperately chasing a late lifeline.

Spalletti's post-match interview was conducted by former Napoli and Juventus great Ciro Ferrara, who likened Napoli's urgency to that of Pep Guardiola's classic Barcelona side.

The Napoli coach felt the need to pump the brakes at that comparison.

"You have to go easy on the comparisons," Spalletti said. "Then it becomes a problem. We must stay calm, very calm.

"It's true that we put a lot of determination into winning the ball back. We have the strength to go and steal it from the opponent, and we did it well today.

"But, beyond that, compared to the last few games, today it seemed to me that we were superior to our previous performances, even in small things like dribbling and [game] management.

"We were quick and assertive when moving the ball around. We suffered a couple of times because Sassuolo are a great team, trained very well.

"You can't have supremacy for 90 minutes. However, the team put in a great performance. Even though we're living a great moment, nobody is giving up on the ball. It's a good feeling."

Friday's win moved Napoli 18 points clear at the summit, though Inter can reduce the deficit back to 15 with a victory over Udinese on Saturday.

Napoli's relentless charge to the Scudetto continued with a straightforward 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Friday, their key men at the fore yet again.

Victory at Mapei Stadium made it seven Serie A wins in a row since a 1-0 defeat to Inter in their first game back after the World Cup, extending the Partenopei's lead at the summit to 18 points.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put Napoli in front early on with a wonderful solo effort, before their other talisman, Victor Osimhen, made it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark to become the club's first player to net in seven successive top-flight games in the three-points-for-a-win era.

Sassuolo somewhat contentiously had a goal chalked off late in the first half, but thereafter Napoli's game management was exceptional, with the only shame for the visitors coming late on when Giovanni Simeone had a goal disallowed for offside.

It took Napoli 12 minutes to take charge as Kvaratskhelia breezed through midfield and coolly slotted into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards.

Armand Lauriente and Osimhen were both then denied by the post at either end, though the latter did not have to wait much longer to get his customary goal.

The Nigerian brilliantly held off two defenders before catching Andrea Consigli off guard with a ferocious effort hit early from a tight angle.

Sassuolo's Lauriente thought he had followed suit just before the break, only for his tap-in to be disallowed for an offside in the build-up.

Osimhen spurned a one-on-one opportunity early in the second half, and Andrea Pinamonti nodded agonisingly wide at the other end.

Substitute Simeone appeared to have added further gloss in stoppage time, yet VAR cut short his celebrations as Napoli had to settle for two.

Neymar's interest in a move to the Premier League is gaining momentum, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool among the teams alerted about his potential availability.

The 31-year-old star had reportedly come up in a recent conversation between Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and with a deal not being ruled out, Neymar's team have contacted more of England's top sides.

Neymar is tied for the Ligue 1 assist lead with 10, while he has 12 goals in 19 appearances.

Now in his sixth season in France since arriving for a world-record €222million fee, and on the brink of another disappointing Champions League exit, Brazil's joint all-time leading scorer is eyeing a new challenge.

TOP STORY – NEYMAR'S TEAM GAUGES THE INTEREST OF TOP PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS

According to 90min, Neymar's "intermediaries are believed to have spoken with Chelsea, Liverpool, City, United, and Newcastle United" – informing the clubs of his desire for a Premier League transfer.

The report claims Paris Saint-Germain are not desperate to part ways with Neymar, but would be open to facilitating a deal.

Chelsea owner Boehly is believed to be "intrigued" about the potential for such a high-profile signing, although it remains to be seen who else would be willing to meet what is expected to be an enormous contract demand.

ROUND-UP

– ESPN is reporting Liverpool, City and United are closely monitoring Mason Mount, who only has one more season on his current Chelsea contract, and is hesitant about signing the kind of long-term deals Chelsea have been handing out.

– Newcastle, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and City all want 22-year-old Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but the Serie A leaders have no interest in selling, and are in the process of rewarding the Georgian with a big new contract, per 90min.

– According to Tuttosport, Real Madrid, Barcelona, City and Chelsea are keeping an eye on 17-year-old Velez prospect Gianluca Prestianni, who is the third-youngest debutant in the history of Argentina's top flight behind Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero.

– Calciomercato is reporting Bayern Munich will continue their pursuit of Tottenham striker Harry Kane, but are unwilling to meet their £100m (€112m) valuation. 

– Arsenal have sent scouts to watch 17-year-old Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, who is reportedly valued at over £50m, per CaughtOffside.

Diego Maradona's Argentinian connection to Napoli continues to inspire Giovanni Simeone as the Partenopei edge closer to the Scudetto.

Napoli have not won the Serie A title since the late Maradona guided the Naples side to the championship in 1990.

Simeone – son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego, who is a former team-mate of Maradona – has played a supporting role to star striker Victor Osimhen, though that does not diminish his squad status.

The 27-year-old forward scored a late winner against Milan in September and repeated the dose in a crucial 2-1 victory over Roma on January 29, with those representing two of his three Serie A goals this term.

With a 15-point lead at the summit and a first Scudetto in 23 years in sight, Simeone lauded the connection he has with Napoli fans due to their love for Albiceleste icon Maradona.

"Being an Argentinian here is amazing," he told Sky Sports. "Napoli is different. This club represents the history of Italy, the history of Diego Maradona.

"It is a pleasure for me to play here because every fan sees me as Argentinian and because of Maradona they want to speak to me. It is 'Maradona, Maradona, Maradona'.

"It is not just the club, it is the whole city. Everybody is a fan here. Everybody speaks about football, everybody breathes football.

"Neapolitans are similar to Argentinians. We speak similarly.  We have the same gestures. It feels like home. I am the same as them because football is a passion for me. I am in the right place."

Simeone, who has the Champions League emblem tattooed on his skin, scored three minutes into his competition debut against Liverpool this season.

That marked the first of eight strikes in all competitions this season, scoring a goal every 66.8 minutes – by comparison, Erling Haaland has hit the net once every 72.3, while Kylian Mbappe has done so every 84.9.

Napoli team-mate Osimhen is further down that list with his 18 goals in 22 games coming at a rate of 93.7 minutes-per-goal, yet Simeone treasures every opportunity he gets as a substitute.

"It is not easy to know that you do not start. When the coach tells me that I will be on the bench, it is difficult for me but I always prepare as if I am starting," he added.

"I need to be ready for everything. Life is like this, you must be ready for the moments that you do have. I am ready for every minute I am given.

"The quality of the time is more important than the quantity."

While Simeone insists Napoli will not get ahead of themselves, relying on a mantra from his father, the striker believes Luciano Spalletti's side have no limit to their ambitions this campaign.

"The group is the most important thing. Every player will be needed. If the starting forward does not score, the next one can," he continued.

"To get the trophy, we need to be there in every match. My dad says something that I have always tried to remember – partido a partido – match-to-match.

"We need to be prepared for every match, ready for everything, because every three points counts. I feel the same with the Champions League.

"I feel we can play against any club, ready to play against anyone. Then, it is difficult to say if you will win or not. But we are ready. The Champions League is really important to me. I want to be there in June."

Asked if Napoli can achieve something special, Simeone will believe it when he sees it, adding: "I do not know because I have not won anything. When it is the time, maybe I can tell you."

Former Juventus, Athletic Bilbao and Spain striker Fernando Llorente has retired from football at the age of 37.

Llorente – who has been without a club since the end of last season – made the announcement to Movistar Plus, confirming the end of an 18-year senior career.

When asked about continuing to play football, he replied "No" and suggested he will instead "keep fit by playing padel."

Llorente began his career with Athletic, where he played for nine seasons for the first team, scoring 84 goals in 262 LaLiga games.

He then earned a move to Serie A giants Juventus, where he scored 16 in 34 league games in his first season, though was unable to repeat that form before he left on a free transfer back to Spain with Sevilla in 2015.

After one season at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, where he scored just four goals in 23 LaLiga appearances but won the Europa League, Llorente moved to the Premier League with Swansea City.

He netted 15 league goals in 33 games for the Swans before signing for Tottenham after an impressive year in Wales.

Llorente struggled for game time at Spurs, though, with Harry Kane the established striker at the club.

Nevertheless, he did play a key role in their run to the 2019 Champions League final, scoring the goal that put Spurs through to the semi-finals at the expense of Manchester City.

Llorente was unable to get back to his previous best in spells at Napoli or Udinese, before playing what turned out to be his final season back in Spain with Eibar in the Segunda Division.

He won three Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia crowns and a Europa League during his club career. Llorente was also part of the Spain squads that won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, earning 24 caps for his country in all, scoring seven goals.

Luciano Spalletti says the late Diego Maradona is playing a big part in irrepressible Napoli's quest to end their long wait to win the Serie A title.

Napoli have not won the Scudetto since Maradona inspired them to be crowned champions back in 1990, but there appears to be no stopping them this season.

A 3-0 win over Cremonese on Sunday put the runaway leaders 16 points clear of Inter, who have a game in hand, and the Partenopei also remain in the hunt for Champions League glory.

Napoli have reeled off six Serie A wins in a row since suffering their only loss to Inter.

Head coach Spalletti, who is on course to win a first Serie A title at the age of 64, revealed they are trying to go about their business in the same manner as club legend Maradona, who died at the age of 60 in November 2020.

He said: "We have him there. In the locker room there's that statue of Maradona that many go to touch. I do too when we go out on the pitch because we want to bring him into the quality of our team.

"He was someone who won through his quality, through all those things that fans like. We want to try to resemble him as much as possible and we will always carry him with us for the teachings he has given us."

Spalletti also compared winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists this season, to Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

He said of the Georgia international: "He is truly someone who has sensitivity in dribbling, in stroking the ball, in making those tricks that are so difficult to defend against.

"Salah is one of those who has this quality in close quarters and in finishing so precisely. That he didn't feel the pressure, it can be seen that he is a calm boy. He will have a great future."

Luciano Spalletti praised Napoli's supporters for helping his side lift their levels after they cruised to a 3-0 win over Cremonese in Serie A.

Goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Victor Osimhen and Eljif Elmas saw the league leaders extend their advantage to 16 points at the summit.

After losing to their rock-bottom visitors in the Coppa Italia last month, the hosts were able to take their revenge at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

But it came after something of a loose start, with Spalletti praising encouragement from supporters as key to helping his team focus in the second half.

"Our city, our fans, they care about what we are doing here," he told DAZN. "[They understand] the possibility that we can do important things.

"Everyone could see, perhaps too much, that we weren't as calm as we usually are in the first half. We got a little nervous, and it was more difficult.

"Cremonese played wide and we lost energy having to defend the balls they put into our penalty area. But it was much better in the second half.

"I applauded [the crowd] because that's what they do for our team. Our players are ready to destroy themselves on the pitch for a result."

A 17th goal of the league season for Nigeria international Osimhen saw the attacker further build his lead in the goalscorer charts this term.

Spalletti spoke positively about his player afterwards, and was keen to highlight how the striker is less vocal in his protests on the pitch.

"There are some things that shouldn't interest us on the pitch, which concerns different stuff than what should draw our attention," he added.

"Tonight there was an incident where we could have had a different reaction. Instead, it all remained orderly. The match must be managed as we did."

Victor Osimhen extended his lead atop the goal charts as he helped Serie A leaders Napoli to a 3-0 win against rock-bottom Cremonese.

The Nigeria international prodded home a close-range finish in the second half to add to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's earlier effort at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Eljif Elmas added a late third, making sure.

For home coach Luciano Spalletti, the three points came with a side order of revenge after his side were knocked out of the Coppa Italia last month by their visitors, and they go 16 points clear for now.

But for Cremonese boss Davide Ballardini, the fight to seal top-flight survival is growing dimmer by each matchday, despite a spirited performance from his team.

Taking to the field in the Valentine's Day strip they debuted against the same opponents in their earlier cup clash, Napoli dominated matters across the first quarter.

It was little surprise when they opened the scoring in the 21st minute, with Kvaratskhelia seizing on a poor clearance to dance his way back into the box for a low finish.

Both teams fluffed further good chances, including a missed header for Osimhen, while the hosts also had a penalty appeal waved away just before the break.

Hirving Lozano went close to adding a second Napoli goal seven minutes into the second half, when he forced Marco Carnesecchi into an acrobatic save.

There was no denying Osimhen in the 65th minute, as he flicked Kim Min-jae's header over the line following a corner kick that was parried by the goalkeeper.

That gave Osimhen a 17th league goal of the season in just his 18th appearance, with his haul putting him five clear of Ademola Lookman and Lautaro Martinez in joint-second.

With a two-goal cushion, Napoli could have cruised to the finish line, but Elmas fired in with just over 10 minutes to go to ensure it would be an even more comfortable conclusion.

Luciano Spalletti will not discuss a new contract while Napoli continue their Scudetto bid, saying any talks regarding his future will only "create problems" for the Serie A leaders.

Napoli appear destined to clinch their first league title since the Diego Maradona era in this campaign, having built a huge 13-point lead over nearest rivals Inter at the top of the table. 

Only Bayern Munich (one) have lost fewer games across all competitions than Napoli (two) this season among teams in Europe's top five leagues.

Sunday's clash with Cremonese marks the start of a key period in the Partenopei's season, with the first leg of a Champions League last-16 tie against Eintracht Frankfurt to come on February 21.

Spalletti's contract with Napoli expires at the end of this season, although the club reportedly have the option to trigger a 12-month extension.

Asked about his future at Saturday's pre-match press conference, Spalletti said: "My contract is a tiny detail within a great occasion.

"If we want to create problems for ourselves then let's talk about my contract, or the players'. These talks create problems.

"Let's only think about tomorrow, we eat with the present. Everyone has a desire for the future, but it comes through the present and we must succeed by focusing on the game."

Napoli have won their last eight home Serie A games and are bidding to record a ninth successive win on their own turf for the first time since September 2016.

While Napoli's sizeable advantage in the standings has supporters discussing when, rather than if, they might wrap up the title, Spalletti is uninterested in such debates. 

"If we project ourselves beyond the Cremonese game, we create problems," he added.

"I hear things about how many points are enough, how many we still need, then I'm not good at reckoning and you'll be angry with us.

"Even I wouldn't have expected these points and this gap, like everyone else."

Manchester City reportedly view Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell as a potential answer to their left-back problem and will investigate a move at the end of the season.

Chilwell, 26, was purchased from Leicester City for a £50million fee prior to the 2020-21 campaign, and he enjoyed immediate success at Stamford Bridge. In his first season with the club, all 27 of his Premier League appearances came in the starting line-up, and he also played a full 90 minutes in their Champions League final triumph over City.

Unfortunately, the England international with 17 senior caps has been plagued by injuries since, with a serious knee injury this past season followed by a long-term hamstring injury early in the current campaign.

Chilwell returned from his hamstring issue with a brief appearance off the bench against Fulham on February 3, and if he can prove his fitness down the stretch then he could prove the perfect replacement for Joao Cancelo after his shock departure on loan to Bayern Munich.

TOP STORY – CITY IDENTIFY CHILWELL AS POTENTIAL CANCELO REPLACEMENT

The future of Cancelo with City is looking bleak after he was shipped off to Bayern following reports of a training ground dispute with boss Pep Guardiola, and Caught Offside claims the club are already looking at long-term solutions in his position.

Fabrizio Romano writes that "Chilwell is one of the players who has been appreciated by Manchester City for years" – but adds the Englishman is just one name on a shortlist of left-back options to pursue when the season wraps up.

Chilwell's five-year contract with Chelsea ties him to the club until 2025, but the report states the addition of Marc Cucurella has made him more expendable if the price is right.

ROUND-UP

– According to 90min, Chelsea have made 24-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen their top forward target, and he is expected to cost in excess of £100million (€110m).

– The Daily Mail is reporting Tottenham will look to sign new centre-backs at the end of the season, and have taken a liking to 22-year-old Crystal Palace talent Marc Guehi, who may be available for a fee of around £45million.

– According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona will join a long list of elite clubs – including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter – in the pursuit of 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram. The France international will become a free agent after the season, and his father Lillian Thuram spent two seasons with Barcelona before retiring.

– Inter will work to secure 29-year-old striker Romelu Lukaku on either a permanent deal or another loan from Chelsea next season at a lower cost, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– Football Insider is reporting Liverpool, Everton and Leeds United are all interested in 18-year-old Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, who some are calling "the next Jude Bellingham".

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insists the Scudetto frontrunners do not have to sell rumoured Manchester United and Chelsea target Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria international Osimhen is reportedly a target for the Premier League pair, as well as other big names across Europe, after starring for Serie A leaders Napoli this season.

The 24-year-old has 17 goals this campaign – the joint-sixth most of any player across Europe's top five leagues – and has assisted a further three goals in his 21 appearances.

While interest in Osimhen will only intensify between now and the transfer window reopening in advance of next season, De Laurentiis has made it clear Napoli are not looking to cash in.

"Victor is not for sale," he told German outlet Bild. "Our players are in high demand, but we are not forced to sell anybody. We don't have any debts."

Osimhen scored another brace in Sunday's 3-0 win over Spezia as Napoli opened up a 13-point lead over closest challengers Inter at the top of Serie A.

He now has 53 goals in 95 league games across his past four seasons for Lille and Napoli – only Erling Haaland (87 in 87) has needed fewer games to reach the 50-goal mark.

Napoli will hope their in-form striker can make the difference when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first leg taking place in two weeks' time.

Eintracht are competing in the knockout stage of the competition for the first time, but De Laurentiis says Napoli will not be taking the Bundesliga title challengers lightly.

"In the beginning, the feeling was of a non-difficult draw, but it's not exactly like this," he said of Eintracht, who beat Barcelona in the Europa League quarter-finals last season.

"It's not a coincidence they are in the race for the Bundesliga. We should not think we are a better team. Barca did it last season and we should not make the same mistake."

Napoli have won their past two away games against German sides in European competition, beating Wolfsburg 4-1 in April 2015 and RB Leipzig 2-0 in February 2018.

Manchester United will reportedly aim to sell Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial and Alex Telles after the season to fund the purchase of a new marquee talent.

The Old Trafford side are said to be investigating a number of targets expected to cost in excess of £100million, including Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Tottenham talisman Harry Kane and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.

United are very familiar with Premier League stars and England internationals Kane and Rice, while Osimhen has enjoyed a rise to prominence this season with the Serie A leaders.

With 16 goals in 17 league appearances this campaign, the 24-year-old Nigerian has already set a new personal best goal tally, and he has been one of the driving forces for a Napoli team sitting 13 points clear at the top.

TOP STORY – UNITED IDENTIFY LIKELY SALES TO FUND NEW SIGNING

According to the Manchester Evening News, Telles, Maguire and Martial have all been identified as players United would like to cash-in on to at least partially pay for a new £100m signing.

That report states Kane and Osimhen are the primary targets, as well as Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos and Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus.

Meanwhile, Talksport adds that United had a £100m bid for Rice turned down by West Ham before the season, but that he could be pried away at the end of the campaign for £120m plus add-ons.

United are willing to pay £107m (€120m) for Osimhen, and they expect competition from Chelsea, per The Express.

ROUND-UP

– AS is reporting United are interested in 29-year-old Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco. Barcelona have the option to purchase the Belgian for €20m, but if they pass, Atletico will listen to offers from the Premier League.

– Paris Saint-Germain will rival Barcelona in the pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, per Le10Sport.

– According to The Athletic, Real Madrid believe Jude Bellingham will choose the Premier League if he leaves Borussia Dortmund. 

– 90min is reporting Chelsea are scouting 23-year-old Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa as they look to address the position at the end of the season.

– Inter have added 25-year-old Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo to their list of potential replacements for outgoing centre-back Milan Skriniar, per Tuttomercatoweb.

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti is plotting an offensive on two fronts in the final months of the season as he hopes to win Serie A and the Champions League.

Spalletti's side were comfortable 3-0 winners away to Spezia on Sunday, briefly increasing their lead at the summit to 16 points.

Inter had the chance to trim Napoli's lead to 13 points later in the day, as they chased victory in the Milan derby, but even that gap would appear to be unassailable given the form of the front-runners this season.

If Napoli do manage to win the domestic title, it will end a barren run that stretches back to 1990 and be their first without the inspirational influence of Diego Maradona, who was also behind their success three years earlier.

Winning Serie A would be momentous, but Napoli are also into the last 16 of the Champions League and face Eintracht Frankfurt next – the Naples side have never won Europe's premier competition, nor its predecessor, the European Cup.

Spalletti wants to put that right.

"There are moments in life when results are achieved and in those moments you either settle or try to double down," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"We have no doubts, we've decided to double down.

"We go and play the matches trying to do something for the love of the fans, for the people who were perhaps even today at home praying for us because they love us. We must be proud of that."

Napoli's key men – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen – got the goals, with the latter netting twice.

Kvaratskhelia – who also teed up Osimhen's second – became only the fifth player across the top five European leagues to reach double figures for goals (10) and assists (12) this season.

Meanwhile, Osimhen's brace made him just the fourth Napoli player ever to score 16 times in the first 21 matches of a Serie A campaign.

But both were the targets of verbal barrages from Spalletti in the first half – that seemed to do the trick.

"It was because we need their quality, their inspiration, their imagination," Spalletti said. "When the matches flatten out, they are the ones who can make the difference and open the way.

"You have to find the first striker, play it out wide to open up the channels. Just moving it around isn't enough.

"The pitch was very difficult, dry underneath, it wasn't easy to find the rhythm we're used to, so sometimes you have to play direct to Osimhen, making the most of the fact he's really strong from a physical point of view."

Napoli are next in action in a week's time, on Sunday, February 12, when they host winless Cremonese.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen ruthlessly punished three defensive errors as Napoli beat Spezia 3-0 to increase their lead at the Serie A summit to 16 points.

Luciano Spalletti's side may not have been at their swashbuckling best but produced a professional display at Stadio Alberto Picco on Sunday and never looked at risk of dropping points once they edged in front.

An uneventful first half brought few clear-cut chances, but Napoli took charge of the contest just a minute into the second, with Kvaratskhelia coolly converting a penalty.

Another mistake allowed Osimhen to score for the fifth league game in a row, and he netted again soon after as Spezia proved to be their own worst enemies.

Both sides looked purposeful early on, with Kevin Agudelo threatening first as he blazed over following a driving run.

Mattia Caldara then chested a Mario Rui cross just wide of his own goal at the other end, and from the subsequent corner Giovanni Di Lorenzo went agonisingly close with a glancing header.

Proceedings soon calmed significantly, but Spezia gifted Napoli the breakthrough via a penalty concession a minute after the restart.

Arkadiusz Reca blatantly handled the ball in the box and Kvaratskhelia slammed home his spot-kick.

Osimhen was then on hand to capitalise on Ethan Ampadu's sliced clearance with 68 minutes played, nodding in above Dimitris Nikolaou and Bartlomiej Dragowski.

The two goalscorers linked up five minutes later to finish Spezia off.

Caldara inexplicably coughed up possession just outside his own box, allowing Kvaratskhelia to tee Osimhen up for a tap-in.