Neto’s hopes of joining Napoli are on the verge of ending, with the Serie A giants reportedly unlikely to secure the services of the Barcelona outcast.
According to Italian journalist Giacomo Iacobellis, Neto’s potential destinations are reducing, with the latest club disappearing from his pursuit being Napoli. The Serie A giants are on the verge of securing the services of Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on a season-long loan deal, leaving the Barcelona outcast to go back to the drawing board.
Neto has endured a drastic fall in stature since joining Barcelona from Valencia three years ago. The 33-year-old has gone from being a first-choice option at the Mestalla to a backup goalkeeper who has had to suffice with sporadic appearances in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League apart from his outings in cup competitions.
The veteran goalkeeper has managed to turn out only 21 times for Barcelona thus far, keeping seven clean sheets. So with his progress stalling at Camp Nou, Neto is keen on leaving the Catalan club in the summer transfer window. And Napoli seemed to be one of the potential destinations for the out-of-favour shot-stopper.
The Serie A giants have seen David Ospina join Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in the summer transfer window. Alex Meret is thus the only goalkeeper at Luciano Spalletti’s disposal heading into the 2022/23 season, compelling Napoli to delve into the market for a new shot-stopper in the ongoing window.
Neto had thus emerged as a viable target for Napoli, with the Barcelona ace reportedly keen on moving to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. But Neto’s hopes of ending his frustrating stint with Barcelona by joining Napoli will end soon.
The Serie A giants are on the verge of securing the services of Kepa Arrizabalaga on a season-long loan deal. The Chelsea goalkeeper is reportedly ready to take a pay cut to join Napoli. But he will receive his entire wages, with the west London club paying 75 per cent of his salary, with the rest covered by the Partenopei.
As for Neto, the 33-year-old is in the lurch, with his avenues closing. He will not join Fulham either, with the newly-promoted Premier League club closing in on signing Bernd Leno from Arsenal. It will be interesting to see where the Barcelona outcast ends up, with the Blaugrana desperate to offload him.
