The Naples It was one of the best clubs Italian football in the last decade and reached this place with talented footballers from all over the world: Italy, other European countries, South America Moreover Africa.
However, its owner and president, Aurelius of Laurentiusexpressed his desire to change the southern Italian club’s contract policy because it has a problem with African footballers (and also those from South America) and their continents football calendar.
“don’t talk to me about African players, or sign a waiver of their right to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations tournaments or between the AFCON and South American leagues…I won’t sign them. I never have them available. They will play outside while we pay them.” said the Italian businessman in an interview with Wall Street Italy.
Why Napoli president doesn’t want to sign more African footballers?
De Laurentiis did quite a few review of the current football calendar and its system. In this context, he expressed himself with the usual problem faced by European clubs who have African footballers from national teams that qualify for the Africa Cup of Nationsa tournament usually held between January and February every two years: They have to transfer them to their national team in the middle of the season while the domestic European leagues do not have a day off, which happens when the European Championship or Copa America is played in the middle of the year.
In 2022 there was this problem because the African Cup of Nations was held between January and February 2022: first its date had been changed to January and February 2021 due to the temperatures in Cameroon (home of the tournament) in the middle of the year and then it was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the Confederation of African Football had already paid attention to this suffering presented to its stars, which is increasingly in the major leagues of Europe, and for this the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt 2019 was held in the middle of the year and 2021 was originally slated for that window, with the plan to make it permanent. The problem is the different climates presented by a continent as extensive as Africa.
The next edition, to be held in Ivory Coastit was planned for mid-2023 but was later postponed to January 2024 as happened with Cameroon.
In turn, De Laurentiis called for change in European competitions: “The top 5 countries should have their own tournament. Enough with these fake competitions like Champions, Europa and Conference League. We need to create contests that are play for a week among the 5 best European leagues”he said, though opposed the idea of the European Super League because it is an invitation-only tournament.
Which African footballers play in Napoli?
Napoli currently have in their team four African footballers: Victor OsimenNigerian striker for whom he paid 70 million euros in 2020, André-Frank Zambo Anguissafrom Cameroon (recently incorporated for €15 million), and Karim Zedazka and Adam OunasAlgeria.
Napoli just sold the Senegalese kalidou kulibalione of his best players in recent years (chosen best defender in Serie A 2018-2019) to Chelsea for €40m, and has had other Africans in recent campaigns: the Algerian winger Fauozi Ghoulam It was another history left by the team in this market.
