Napoli boss Antonio Conte is reportedly frustrated after the club failed to secure Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho in the January transfer window, following the departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain.
Several reports indicate that the Italian tactician had repeatedly warned the club hierarchy about the need for a replacement of the same calibre as the Georgian star, and Garnacho was Conte's preferred choice, viewing the Argentine as an ideal successor.
The Serie A champions sanctioned Kvaratskhelia's move to PSG in mid-January, earning an €80m windfall from the deal, and since then, they have been actively searching for an adequate replacement, according to multiple sources.
Several names were considered, with Garnacho remaining as Conte's top target, but Napoli were unable to reach an agreement with Manchester United, who reportedly set the winger's asking price at €80m.
Unwilling to meet United's valuation, the Italian side only offered €55m, falling significantly short of the Premier League club's demands, and consequently, negotiations never progressed beyond the initial stages.
Napoli fail to replace Kvaratskhelia's quality
© Imago
The Partenopei's failure to replace Kvaratskhelia with a player of similar quality has raised concerns about their attacking options for the remainder of the season.
Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi was another potential target, but the German forward rejected the move as he has his sights set on a Premier League switch in the summer.
Allan Saint-Maximin was also linked with a move to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, but Napoli have struggled to finalise a deal with his parent club, Al-Ahli, and Fenerbahce, where the Frenchman is currently on loan.
With time running out, Napoli eventually settled for AC Milan striker Noah Okafor on transfer deadline day, securing his services on loan with an option to buy.
Since moving to Milan from Austrian side RB Salzburg, the Swiss international has struggled for regular game time, and Conte is unlikely to view him as a player of Kvaratskhelia's calibre.
Do Napoli possess enough firepower to win Serie A?
© Imago
Napoli remain at the top of the Serie A table, holding a three-point lead over Inter Milan, although the Nerazzurri have a game in hand.
The Partenopei's title charge has been largely built on a rock-solid defence, which has conceded just 16 goals in 23 matches – the best record in the league.
However, their attacking struggles remain a major concern – among the top six sides in Serie A, Napoli have scored the fewest goals (38).
Despite leaving in January, Kvaratskhelia remains the club's joint-second highest scorer in the league with five goals, having last found the net in October.
The 1-1 draw against AS Roma last weekend further underscored Napoli's attacking frailties, as they managed just five attempts on goal compared to Roma's 12.
