In search of a new midfielder, Napoli quickly set their sights on Nottingham Forest’s Orel Mangala, who has lost his starting place under Nuno Espírito Santo.
The Belgium international was one of the first names on the team sheet under Steve Cooper, but that all changed when he was fired and the Portuguese manager came in to replace him.
This is why there has been talk of an exit in January, and Gazzetta dello Sport make it clear that Napoli are still very much there for the Nottingham Forest man.
Because they are struggling to sign Antonin Barak from Fiorentina, ‘contacts are continuing’ with the Tricky Trees for their player, who has spent most of his time in a two-man midfield, but can play in a three, which is what Walter Mazzarri prefers.
What they like is that the Nottingham Forest player can help in ‘both phases’, meaning defensively and going forward, and has the physical attributes to ‘impose himself immediately’ in Italian football.
On top of that, the Premier League club ‘seem ready’ to let him go on a loan with an option to buy, which would be Napoli’s preferred formula for a deal.
