Napoli seems like a perfect machine. With just one loss in the league and a solid 15-point lead over Inter in second place, Spalletti’s team is on its way to a historic Scudetto, their first since the Maradona era. This situation seemed unthinkable after the turbulent summer experienced by President De Laurentiis: Napoli not only parted ways with their historic captain Insigne and symbolic player Mertens (not renewed despite his willingness to stay) but also sold Koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz, both nearing contract expiration and sacrificed for modest fees to avoid losing them for free. In essence, the team’s core was dismantled.
Yet, this past summer, De Laurentiis once again demonstrated his management philosophy: with a solid project based on the ideas of coach Luciano Spalletti, Giuntoli (Napoli’s sporting director) brought in young, unknown players, contrary to fans’ calls for high-profile signings. Leading this list are Kvaratskhelia and Kim.
What unites most of Napoli’s players is their exponential growth in recent years. They are all players developed and improved under Spalletti, proving once again that ideas and hard work on the field can triumph over money and assembling a team of big-name players. Osimhen, Kvara, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Kim, and others exemplify this.
The Napoli model is an example of sustainable soccer. In today’s game, achieving great sporting performances while maintaining financial stability seems nearly impossible. All major teams face challenges in this regard, yet Napoli has shown that with a competent sporting director in the transfer market, a skilled coach on the bench, and the right mix of young talent, experienced players, investments, and sales, sustainable soccer is still possible.
By Andrea Dapavo
BOCCONI STUDENTS FOR SPORT MANAGEMENT 
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