The manager of Napoli, Rafa Benitez, is ready to make some big signings this January. He has a couple of Premier League players on his radar i.e. Bacary Sagna (Arsenal) and Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur) and he will be trying hard to secure the services of both those guys during the upcoming transfer window.
Napoli has done alright in the top flight in Italy so far this season, but, Benitez knows that his team has a few defensive issues and that’s why, he is eager to sign a player who can strengthen that area. Recently, he has brought in Anthony Reveillere who is a veteran defender, but, he wants somebody slightly younger as well and thus, he is planning to bid for Sagna.
Sagna’s contract at the Emirates Stadium is going to expire at the end of the ongoing season and he is unlikely to sign a new deal there. So, he will be a free agent next summer, but, Benitez is not ready to wait till that time. He wants to land Sagna at Stadio San Paolo in January.
Sagna has been a top player for the Gunners in the last few years and he has also been reported to be on the radar of a few Ligue 1 clubs.
As far as Dembele is concerned, he is not playing regularly for the first team of Spurs at the moment and he is not likely to do so in the second half of the season either. With Belgian World Cup side to be announced in a few months’ time, he would be looking for some first team football and thus, it shouldn’t be surprising at all if he gets lured to Napoli by Benitez.
Dembele had arrived at White Hart Lane at the start of the previous season.