Leander Dendoncker will be a success at Napoli after finalising his loan move from Aston Villa this week.
That’s according to former Fiorentina and Cagliari striker Lulu Oliveira, relayed by Area Napoli, who believes the Belgian will prove to be a smart acquisition for the Italian champions.
Dendoncker joined Napoli on loan this week, signing a deal until the end of the season that includes an option to make the move permanent.
He’s made the move to seek regular playing time after struggling under Unai Emery at Aston Villa this season, barely featuring under the Spaniard in the first half of the season and making just 15 appearances and getting just 389 minutes of action.
He’s hoping to be a regular for Walter Mazzari’s side to ensure he is in Belgium’s plans for Euro 2024 this summer and is likely to get it for the Italian side, who are in desperate need of reinforcements for the second half of the season.
Whether he can bounce back in Serie A remains to be seen after his difficulties at Aston Villa, but Oliveira is confident he’ll be able to make his mark.
“The Belgian players are doing an interesting job,” he said.
“The Federation helps these kids grow very well and throws them into the fray already at 16-17 years old, unlike the championship Italian, in which young people at most make a few appearances in Serie C.
“Having said that, Napoli have made a great deal, I know Dendoncker very well: he will do the simple things and will gain more and more trust as time goes by. The boy has good feet, physique, builds the game even as a central defender, he can do very well.”
