Serie A giants Napoli are reportedly looking to beat West Ham United thanks to the signing of Clement Lenglet, the 29-year-old player dumped by Barcelona this summer.
According to reports from Spanish media SPORT, Clément Lenglet is the subject of interest from Naples.
Antonio Conte wants to find someone to rival Barcelona in the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old midfielder is also a target for West Ham United, although the Hammers are still not pursuing him.
Clément Lenglet and his struggles at Barcelona Clément Lenglet has seen his progress suddenly stall in recent seasons.
The Frenchman has spent the last two seasons away from Barcelona, spending the 2022/23 season at Tottenham and 2023/24 at Aston Villa.
However, another temporary departure may not be in the disgraced defender’s plans.
The 29-year-old played just 2,071 minutes in 25 appearances in all competitions for Aston Villa.
Lenglet only played for the West Midlands club in the absence of a first-choice defender.
The long-term future of the Barcelona outcast is under scrutiny as the summer transfer window approaches.
Aston Villa briefly considered the possibility of signing Lenglet on a permanent transfer, but decided against it a few weeks ago.
However, the French defender has many suitors, with the latest report from SPORT suggesting Napoli and West Ham United are considering a bid during the summer transfer window.
What’s next?
Naples’ interest in Clément Lenglet is understandable.
The Serie A giants are struggling at the back in the 2023/24 season after Kim Min-jae left the club to join Bayern Munich last summer.
As a result, they want to recruit a centre-back in the summer transfer window, with a number of candidates, including Rafa Marin, in their sights.
As for West Ham United, the Hammers are also scouring the market to find a centre-back amid uncertainty over the long-term futures of Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma.
Lenglet has therefore emerged as a possible target for West Ham, given his experience in the Premier League over the past two seasons.
However, the Hammers are still not pursuing him, with a summer deal yet to be agreed.
This gives Napoli an opportunity, as the Partenopei are looking to reunite the 29-year-old Barcelona outcast with Antonio Conte, who coached him at Tottenham in the 2022/23 season.
July 1, 2024
