Victor Osimhen is winning plenty of admirers at Serie A leaders Napoli having netted a league-high 19 goals.

The 24-year-old Nigeria forward joined Napoli in 2020 and is under contract until 2025.

But the Partenopei will have their work cut out keeping Osimhen that long, even if they will reportedly ask for more than €100million to let him go.

TOP STORY – OSIMHEN IS UNITED'S PRIORITY STRIKER TARGET

Osimhen is top of Manchester United's four-man striker shortlist, according to Football Insider.

United boss Erik ten Hag has identified Osimhen as his preferred off-season signing to bolster their front line.

According to the report, United wants three major off-season signings to maintain the momentum gained this campaign, including adding another quality striker.

Osimhen is the top priority ahead of Tottenham's Harry Kane, Roma's Tammy Abraham and Salzburg's Benjamin Sesko on their shortlist.

ROUND-UP

– The Athletic reports United are tracking Abraham, but he also has interest from Chelsea, who negotiated a £70.8m (€80m) buy-back clause when they sold him to Roma.

Angel Di Maria is open to staying with Juventus, who are ready to work to agree a new contract with the winger, claims La Gazetta dello Sport.

– Barcelona are preparing to pounce for Marcus Thuram, who will exit Borussia Monchengladbach as a free agent at the end of this season, reports Fichajes.

– It had been reported Houssem Aouar would join Eintracht Frankfurt, but Calciomercato claims there is new interest from Napoli along with Milan in the Lyon midfielder.

Newcastle United coach Eddie Howe is a big admirer of Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu and wants to sign him in the off-season, claims The Mirror.

Luciano Spalletti saw positive signs from his Napoli side despite a 1-0 defeat to Lazio on Friday.

Matias Vecino's stunning effort condemned the Serie A leaders to only a second league defeat of the season and their first at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Despite the loss, which brought an end to an eight-match winning streak, Napoli retain a 17-point lead at the summit and Spalletti was happy with his side's desire.

"I expected such an attitude from the Biancocelesti, they are very compact and always move en bloc," he told DAZN.

"We made the choices in the worst way ever, but I saw a good attitude, the right application and desire, and these are the fundamental things."

Defeat for Spalletti came at the hands of a player he knows well, having managed Vecino during the pair's time at Inter, and he issued praise to his former midfielder.

"Lazio defended well, they were lucky on Victor Osimhen's header and we were naive about Vecino's goal. Then the ball found that corner," he added.

"But I congratulate Vecino, he is a great professional and a great footballer. Did he betray me? I wouldn't say, everyone has to do their job without thinking about the relationship that there was previously."

Lazio brought an end to Napoli's eight-match winning streak in Serie A with a surprise 1-0 victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Matias Vecino struck the only goal of the game in the second half with a thunderous effort from distance in a frustrating game for the hosts.

Solid defending from Lazio thwarted I Partenopei, who were largely limited to efforts from distance and struggled to break down the visitors.

Late chances did come Napoli's way though, Victor Osimhen hitting the bar and Kim Min-Jae's rebound brilliantly saved by Ivan Provedel as Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri inflicted only a second league defeat of the season upon his former team.

Lazio almost stunned the home fans inside five minutes, Vecino flicking a header from Mattia Zaccagni's free-kick towards the far corner but Giovanni Di Lorenzo was on hand to make a crucial goal-line clearance.

First-half opportunities were limited for the hosts, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa having the first sight of goal with a drilled effort from distance that deflected off Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and whistled just over the bar.

Napoli's inability to threaten Provedel's goal continued after the break, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia spurning a free-kick in a dangerous position by firing harmlessly into the stands, before Piotr Zielinski dragged wide from just outside the box.

The deadlock was finally broken by the visitors after 66 minutes, Vecino unleashing a thunderbolt into the right-hand corner of the net to leave Alex Meret helpless.

Napoli came agonisingly close to an equaliser 11 minutes from the end, Osimhen heading against the crossbar and Min-Jae immediately seeing his own effort clawed off the line by Provedel.

Milinkovic-Savic came close to consolidating Lazio's win after striking the frame of the goal with a late free-kick, though it mattered little as the visitors held on for a important win in their hunt for Champions League qualification.

Chelsea will reportedly make a run at signing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic at the end of the season after a troubling campaign for the Blues in front of goal.

Through 24 Premier League fixtures, Chelsea have only scored 23 goals, ranking them 14th overall and the lowest total of any side in the top 11.

Lacking a true number nine, and with it remaining unlikely that Romelu Lukaku returns from his Inter loan next season, Chelsea have been keeping a close eye on Vlahovic.

The 23-year-old, who arrived in Turin for a €70million fee in January 2022, has had an injury-interrupted first full season in Italy, with eight goals in 15 Serie A appearances.

While Massimiliano Allegri's side would likely prefer to persist with the tall frontman, who already has 10 senior international goals for Serbia in 19 appearances, the club's financial position could force their hand.

 

TOP STORY – VLAHOVIC EMERGES AS POTENTIAL ANSWER TO CHELSEA'S STRIKER DILEMMA

According to Football Insider, Chelsea are "desperate" to add a true striker, and view Vlahovic as one of three desirable Serie A targets.

They are also supposedly weighing up the possibility of bringing Roma's Tammy Abraham back to Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea will also test the availability of Napoli's Victor Osimhen, who is thought to be an unrealistic option.

The report adds that Vlahovic is one of the players Juventus may make available at the end of the season as they work to recover from financial uncertainty.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Times reports that Chelsea have reignited their interest in 21-year-old RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol, who they are hoping to land for a fee cheaper than the £97m (€110m) release clause that will become active in 2024.

– According to Express, 24-year-old Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar has decided to snub Manchester United and will instead join Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer when his contract expires in July.

Real Madrid are monitoring 25-year-old Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, although the Brazilian insists he is content with his current situation, per Mundo Deportivo.

– Sport reports that Madrid will be joined by rivals Barcelona in the pursuit of 28-year-old Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte.

– According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are considered the frontrunners to land 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount if he decides to not sign a long-term extension.

Victor Osimhen will not let his Premier League ambitions prove a distraction to short-term objectives of firing Napoli to a Serie A and Champions League double.

The Nigerian striker has been linked with clubs including Chelsea and Manchester United, after hitting 19 goals in 20 Serie A games this season.

Napoli are charging towards a first Scudetto since 1990 and Osimhen's goals have been crucial, drawing plenty of interest from Europe's richest clubs.

He has two years remaining on his Napoli contract, but England appeals.

Now is not the time to be thinking about a move, though, with Osimhen wanting to focus on success at home and in Europe, with Napoli close to securing a Champions League quarter-final spot.

Winning 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their last-16 tie means Napoli are on the charge in that competition too.

Asked about the Premier League, Osimhen said: "I think it is an ambition of all players. And who knows, one day...

"Right now, I assure you, it doesn't even cross my mind. It would distract me from a beautiful season. Only Napoli."

Speaking to the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Osimhen spoke of his blossoming attacking partnership with Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Osimhen spoke of there being "empathy from the first moment" between the pair, with Kvaratskhelia having joined last July from Dinamo Batumi.

"He is very strong, but also a golden boy. This matters to me," said the 24-year-old Osimhen.

Napoli hold an 18-point lead over Inter and Milan with 14 rounds of games remaining, meaning it would take a spectacular collapse for them not to hang on to top spot.

They finished third last season, behind the San Siro duo, but the Naples giants are having it all their own way this time around.

According to Osimhen, this title assault stemmed from a conversation he had with midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in pre-season, which was joined by coach Luciano Spalletti.

"There is a preserved photo that testifies to the moment," Osimhen said. "It was summer and after a fairly hard training session I was talking to Anguissa.

"I said to him: 'Frank, you know that our team is strong and we can really try to win the Scudetto.'

"He was sceptical and I convinced him. Spalletti approaches and asks us what we are talking about. I tell him, he looks at me and says: 'If your team-mates are convinced, as you are, yes we can try.'

"This is how our beautiful story was born, made up of matches, training sessions, men who don't spare themselves. Made of leaders."

Declan Rice's West Ham contract is due to expire next year and he has rejected fresh terms, prompting interest from rival English clubs.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been linked with the 24-year-old England international midfielder.

But the Hammers have rated Rice at £100million, which would be close to a British-record transfer fee.

TOP STORY – CITY TAKE POLE POSITION FOR RICE

Manchester City are leading the pursuit to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, reports TEAMtalk.

The report claims City have come into contention with a probable trio of off-season departures paving the way for the English champions to afford the move.

Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are all potentially on the way out at Etihad Stadium as City contemplate a midfield overhaul.

 

ROUND-UP

– Fichajes claims Manchester City have placed an €80m (£71m) price tag on Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, with Barcelona interested in securing his services. However, the report claims that valuation will likely price out the Blaugrana.

Bayern Munich are set to hand Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting an improved contract from €5m a year to €10m including bonuses a year as part of an extension until 2024, reports Bild. The Cameroonian had been linked with Manchester United and Tottenham previously, and the deal may put to bed Bayern links with Spurs forward Harry Kane.

Barcelona have been linked with Manchester City's Julian Alvarez lately, but Football Insider claims Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the Argentinian forward as they look for depth behind Karim Benzema.

– Mundo Deportivo reports Real Madrid are tracking Benfica's 19-year-old defender Antonio Silva, although he is contracted with the Portuguese club until 2027.

Manchester United and Atletico Madrid will battle it out to sign Roma forward Paulo Dybala, who has a €12m (£10.6m) release clause in his contract, according to Fichajes.

– Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar has declined Manchester United's advances and opted to sign with Eintracht Frankfurt, claims the Daily Express.

Napoli are looking to secure Chelsea and Newcastle United target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to a new deal until 2028 to ward off interest, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.

Rafael Leao's name has long been in the rumour file given his contract status with Milan.

The forward is contracted with the Serie A side until July 2024 but has stalled on an extension, with no agreement on a salary increase.

There was speculation in January that a renewal was close but nothing materialised.

 

TOP STORY – MILAN'S LEAO BOOST

Rafael Leao would prefer to stay with Milan rather than move elsewhere, amid interest from a host of top clubs, claims Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all been linked with the 23-year-old Portugal international.

But it is claimed Milan could renew Leao's deal before the next transfer window, effectively warding off their interest.

 

ROUND-UP

– Erik ten Hag wants to add at least two major signings at Manchester United in the off-season, with Ajax's Mohammed Kudus and Napoli's Victor Osimhen on their list, claims the Manchester Evening News.

Manchester City are weighing up a move for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, according to The Telegraph. The Croatian's contract expires in mid-2024. Football Insider reports City are also interested in Chelsea's full-back Ben Chilwell.

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig both have an interest in signing Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita, who is out of contract at the end of this season, claims Bild.

Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement for Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu to join as a free agent in the off-season, reports 90min.

– El Nacional claims Dusan Vlahovic has also spoken to Real Madrid about a potential move to Spain from Juventus.

Juventus are also keen on signing out-of-favour Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, according to Fichajes.

Chelsea have continued to struggle in recent weeks despite their busy transfer activity during the January window.

The Blues have failed to score in their past three games, all defeats, and won only once in their past 11 games in all competitions.

Chelsea have only scored four goals in those 11 games this calendar year, with the situation putting pressure on new manager Graham Potter.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO TURN TO TAMMY

Chelsea could turn to former striker Tammy Abraham from Roma in the off-season, according to Football Insider.

There is a £70.5million (€80m) clause in Abraham's Roma contract that would allow the Blues to bring him back to Stamford Bridge which they intend to trigger, according to the report.

Chelsea have struggled for goals lately and view Abraham as a cheaper alternative to Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

 

ROUND-UP

– L'Equipe reports Kylian Mbappe will still leave Paris Saint-Germain in the near future even if he extends his contract. Mbappe's deal expires next year, but there is talk that PSG are looking to seal an extension for financial purposes.

Arsenal have submitted a £35m (€40m) bid to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio, claims Calciomercato. Fichajes says the Gunners are also interested in West Ham's Lucas Paqueta as another midfield option.

Real Madrid will rival Barcelona and Chelsea in the pursuit to sign Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, reports Corriere dello Sport.

Barcelona are interested in signing Julian Alvarez from Manchester City on loan, claims Mundo Deportivo, while the English champions have offered him a one-year contract extension until 2028 on improved terms, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool's plans to overhaul their midfield next season mean they have Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo in their sights, per Fichajes.

– Football Insider reports Liverpool are also monitoring N'Golo Kante's situation at Chelsea with talks ongoing over a contract extension.

It was quite the performance on Sunday from Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who combined for all three goals as Paris Saint-Germain won 3-0 at Marseille in Ligue 1.

In the absence of the injured Neymar and with PSG trying to get back on track after a recent run of three consecutive defeats before a 4-3 win against Lille last week, the star duo took it upon themselves to rip apart Marseille.

As well as both achieving personal landmarks on Sunday – Mbappe scoring his 200th PSG goal and Messi scoring his 700th career goal – they also improved their already impressive record as a pair in the league this season.

The two standout players from December's exciting World Cup final between France and Argentina have proven there is no ill will from Qatar as they continue to lay chances on a plate for the other.

Mbappe and Messi have combined for 10 goals in Ligue 1, three more than any other two players in Europe's top-five leagues this season.

In fact, the second-most productive combination in France's top-flight also involves Messi, who has combined with Neymar for six goals, while Lille pair Jonathan David and Remy Cabella have five.

 

It is perhaps no surprise with Napoli seemingly strolling to the Scudetto in Italy that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen sit in second place in Europe with seven goals, but it may raise eyebrows to learn that they are joined on the same amount by another Serie A duo of Roma's Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham.

Lazio's Ciro Immobile and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are the third-most efficient in Italy after providing one another with a total of five goals.

In the Premier League, it did not take a fortune-teller to predict that Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland would work well together when Manchester City signed the Norwegian striker from Borussia Dortmund last year, and they lead the way in England with six combinations so far, ahead of Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, as well as Jack Harrison and Rodrigo Moreno at Leeds United (both five).

There are also three pairings in Europe's top 12 from the Bundesliga, though interestingly, none from Bayern Munich or Dortmund.

Borussia Monchengladbach's Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram and Bayer Leverkusen duo Jeremie Frimpong and Moussa Diaby have both combined for six goals, while surprise title contenders Union Berlin have been boosted by Jordan Siebatcheu and Sheraldo Becker producing five goals for one another.

Spain's LaLiga has not been quite as filled with potent partnerships, with three pairings tied on four goals each.

They include Ousmane Dembele and Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, who have shone together at Camp Nou since the latter arrived from Bayern, while Atletico Madrid's Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann have also managed four, as have Brais Mendez and Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad.

None can compare to the efficacy of Mbappe and Messi though, and while two of the world's best players continue to link up at the Parc des Princes, expect more and more magic moments from them.

Speculation about Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool has re-ignited amid the Reds underwhelming campaign.

Liverpool appear destined for a last-16 Champions League exit after losing the first leg 5-2 at home to Real Madrid, while they are down in seventh in the Premier League.

The Reds are nine points outside the top-four league spots to earn Champions League qualification for next term.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL WILLING TO OFFLOAD SALAH

Mohamed Salah is willing to leave Liverpool if they fail to qualify for next season's Champions League while the Reds are open to selling him, claims Fichajes.

Football Insider claims Paris Saint-Germain are keen on the Egyptian, who is contracted with Liverpool until mid-2025, and will bid €80 million (£70.6m) for his services.

Liverpool may be open to offers for Salah given their wealth of forward options as Jurgen Klopp looks to revamp his squad, with their intended pursuit of Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, who is expected to cost more than €110m (£97m).

 

ROUND-UP

– Inter forward Lautaro Martinez is garnering interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, reports TEAMtalk. The 25-year-old Argentinian is contracted until mid-2026.

– Like Arsenal, Manchester United are weighing up a move for Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, claims AS. The 20-year-old is believed to be priced around £26m (€30m).

– Fabrizio Romano reports Liverpool's Naby Keita may join Barcelona as a free agent at the end of this season, although he clarified "nothing is serious yet".

– Napoli will rival Liverpool in the race to sign Empoli's 19-year-old attacking midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi, claims Calciomercato.

– RMC Sport reports Paris Saint-Germain will not axe head coach Christophe Galtier before the end of the season, following reports of a move for Thomas Tuchel to replace him.

– Liverpool are considering a swap deal for Milan's Rafael Leao involving Luis Diaz, while PSG are in the race for the Portuguese's signature, according to Calciomercato.

Lautaro Martinez bemoaned Inter's Serie A form this season after they slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat against Bologna, with the forward insistent they have to change.

A Riccardo Orsolini half-volley saw the visitors downed on the road at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, to leave them 18 points adrift of Napoli in the top-flight.

Having lost the Scudetto to rivals Milan last term, the San Siro outfit had hoped to mount a serious challenge to reclaim their crown this season.

But with any challenge all but long gone amid their indifferent form, Martinez acknowledged something has to shift for Simone Inzaghi's side.

"It would be wrong to talk too much in the heat of the moment," he told Sky Sport Italia. "But the sensation I have right now is that we'll get nowhere playing like this.

"We need to be more consistent. We just played a great game in the Champions League. We arrive here fired up and then [we] put in this performance.

"We've got to get our heads up and push forward, because we will get nowhere like this."

"Bologna are a good side. They played better than us today and deserved the win. We need to be more consistent, like we were against Porto.

"I am here to apologise to all the Inter fans. If I feel the need to say something, then I say it. We are 18 points behind Napoli, so clearly something is not working."

Inter next face a trip to Lecce, followed by a home clash against Spezia ahead of their second leg with Porto in the Champions League.

Victor Osimhen believes Napoli's success is the result of great leadership as Luciano Spalletti's team moved a step nearer to their first Serie A title for 33 years.

The Nigerian striker scored for an eighth consecutive league game, taking his goal tally in Serie A to 10 since the turn of the year, with Napoli winning 2-0 at Empoli on Saturday.

The last player to embark on a goal-getting streak so long in Italy's top flight was Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored in 11 consecutive games for Juventus during the 2019-20 campaign.

Napoli's latest away success – their fifth in a row without conceding – was a result that could be directly seen as a measure of the team's progress, given they lost the corresponding game 3-2 last season despite holding a two-goal lead at one point.

This time Napoli never looked like surrendering their advantage after getting ahead, with Ardian Ismajli's own goal followed by Osimhen tucking away a close-range chance.

Napoli were two goals clear inside half an hour, and even the sending-off of Mario Rui midway through the second half did not prove costly.

Spalletti made a tactical reshuffle, and it was Napoli who looked the likelier scorers of a third goal, even with their numerical disadvantage.

"Today we had last year's defeat in mind and we were very concentrated to be able to redeem ourselves and get the win," Osimhen said.

"I'm happy with the confidence the coach has given me, but credit goes to my team-mates because we are a group who are always proving to be competitive on the pitch. Winning here today was very complicated because Empoli are an excellent team."

Saluting the coach and driving force behind this Scudetto push, Osimhen said: "Spalletti always pushes me to give my best, he's a very good and very demanding coach.

"He wants every player to be able to express himself at his best and we follow him because we're doing an extraordinary job which can be seen in the game and in the results."

Osimhen, quoted on Napoli's website, added: "This is definitely the best season of my career, I feel great mentally and physically and I'm happy to be able to continue like this to achieve great goals."

He has 19 goals in 20 Serie A games this term, with Napoli pulling 18 points clear of second-placed Inter, who have a trip to Bologna on Sunday.

It is proving to be a rout of the field as Napoli close in on silverware, winning 21 of 24 games so far, a club record at this stage.

Spalletti said he sensed a "team that knew how to fight and win with a leader's mentality".

Considering Napoli were last champions of Italy in 1989-90, in the days of Diego Maradona and Careca, it is remarkable they have delivered such a spectacular show of dominance this term.

 

Napoli have lost just once in the league, to Inter on January 4, and they would have to collapse dramatically to not be champions.

"Today the concern was that our level of fighting might be lower than theirs," said Spalletti. "Instead the boys had an availability and a predisposition to sacrifice that deserves praise. I congratulate the team because they are performing excellently."

He said Napoli's midfield "put on a tough face and fought ball after ball with extraordinary dedication".

Using a colloquialism, Spalletti added: "This team is a lot of stuff.

"If we are at this point of the season it means that I have a squad that know how to interpret each match in an exemplary way, with the mentality and spirit which must a team that wants to impose itself must have."

Victor Osimhen hit his 10th Serie A goal since the turn of the year as leaders Napoli stretched their advantage to 18 points by winning 2-0 at Empoli.

The Nigerian has scored in his last eight domestic league games, with his efforts bringing a long-awaited Scudetto ever closer.

An early own goal from Ardian Ismajli gave Napoli a strong start, and Osimhen soon doubled the lead with an easy finish.

The victory on the road was tarnished by Mario Rui petulantly kicking out at Francesco Caputo and receiving a red card following a VAR check, but with games running out the Naples giants are looking unstoppable.

A 17th-minute breakthrough arrived when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's ball from left to right was volleyed across goal by Piotr Zielinski, and Ismajli bundled the ball into his own net from close range.

It was 2-0 in the 28th minute and again Kvaratskhelia was involved, with his skidding shot parried by Guglielmo Vicario to the lurking Osimhen, who had a simple task of tucking past the floored goalkeeper.

Napoli moved in for the kill, and Kim Min-jae hit the underside of the bar from close range with an attempted header that turned into an effort off his shoulder.

Empoli won the corresponding game 3-2 last season after being 2-0 down, sealing a league double, so Napoli knew they had to be wary of a fightback from the mid-table hosts.

Osimhen thought he had scored again just before the hour when he ran in behind the Empoli defence and tucked home while stumbling under pressure, but he was narrowly offside when the pass was played.

The task was complicated for Napoli when their former Empoli left-back Rui was red-carded for his cheap shot at Caputo, catching the striker in a tender spot.

With a quarter of the game remaining, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti responded by bringing off forwards Kvaratskhelia and Hirving Lozano, replacing them with midfielder Eljif Elmas and defender Mathias Olivera. In truth, Empoli never looked like taking advantage of their extra man and repeating last season's comeback heroics, having been firmly put in their place this time.

Luciano Spalletti says Napoli cannot afford to make "the slightest mistake" when they visit Empoli on Saturday, having seen their Scudetto bid derailed by the same opponents last season.

Napoli are 15 points clear of Inter at the Serie A summit ahead of their trip to the Stadio Carlo Castellani, and appear destined to win their first league title since the Diego Maradona era.

However, Empoli have only lost one of their nine home games against Napoli in Serie A, winning four and drawing four – with last campaign's contest having a huge impact on the title race.

Napoli squandered a two-goal lead in the final 10 minutes as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at Empoli last April, a result which all but ended their hopes of beating Milan and Inter to the Scudetto.

Despite Napoli's seven-game winning streak making them overwhelming title favourites, Spalletti is wary of the threat posed by a side he represented as both a player and as head coach.

"Don't get confused between work and superstition," Spalletti said. "Here, we work in the right way. 

"The match with Empoli [last season] destroyed our whole year of work, we could have won 3-0 and instead we lost, it was devastating. We suffered a lot.

"We want to win for our city, we feel it. We can't make the slightest mistake. Sometimes, they happen unexpectedly and determine the fate of the whole situation.

"The euphoria we have cannot become presumption, which would stop us from growing."

Empoli are one of just two teams – the other being Inter – to have beaten Napoli twice across the last two Serie A campaigns, doing the double over the Partenopei last term.

However, Napoli appear to be a different beast this campaign, and Spalletti's men have even been touted as contenders to win the Champions League following Tuesday's 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Asked whether his side should be held up as an example for others to follow, Spalletti said: "I don't know if we can become a role model.

"Our approach is this, to play good football with our characteristics and to achieve as many results as possible. We are pleased with the compliments, of course."

The rapid rise of Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae has not gone unnoticed, with Manchester United reportedly investigating a potential transfer for the end of the season.

Kim, 26, played in Korea and China until he was 24 years old, eventually catching the eye of Fenerbahce, who purchased him for a €3million fee.

After one season in Turkey, Napoli scooped him up for €18m, and he has played a big part in their best season in the 21st century. He has played in 22 of runaway leaders Napoli's 23 Serie A matches this campaign, starting all of them.

The powerfully-built defender has emerged as one of the league's top talents, and unfortunately for Napoli, he has a surprisingly affordable release clause in his contract.

 

TOP STORY – MANCHESTER UNITED DISCUSS ACTIVATING KIM'S RELEASE CLAUSE

According to Calciomercato, United have been targeting Kim for months, and have been in contact with his agents to gauge his interest in a potential Premier League move.

Kim reportedly has a £44m (€50m) release clause in his contract, but Napoli officials are desperate to award him a new contract to at least raise that figure to their valuation of £61m (€70m).

United are expected to make him a primary target at the end of the season.

 

ROUND-UP

– Football London is reporting Arsenal have made 24-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice their top target after acknowledging they will not be in the running for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham.

– According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal will have to battle Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United to secure 18-year-old Real Valladolid full-back Ivan Fresneda in the next transfer window, with his £26.5m (€30m) release clause drawing plenty of interest.

Chelsea will allow midfielder Mason Mount to leave before the beginning of next season if he does not agree to a new contract, per The Athletic.

– Sport Witness is reporting Everton had a £22m (€25m) offer for 25-year-old Udinese forward Beto rejected late in the January window, and it is believed they could return with an improved bid. 

– According to Football Insider, Tottenham are viewed as the favourites to land 26-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, who will be allowed to leave the club if he does not sign an extension.

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