It's not a secret. Manolo Gabbiadini's time at Napoli is almost at an end.
He has had his chance to show he could be the right man to replace the injured Arek Milik, that he could be the striker that Napoli needed to keep chasing Juventus with the dream of overtaking them: but he has failed. Or, better to say, he wasn't able to show he could replace Milik, simply because he is not Milik.
The misunderstanding in all this saga has been the fact that Manolo is a completely different kind of striker from the Pole, and he has suffered much trying to play a role that wasn't his own. The bad figures were around the corner, the risk was very high. More than a risk, something close to a certainty.
Gabbiadini was a wide attacking player, something like a winger who likes to come inside with the ball to find the goal or an assist; Napoli asked him to become a typical centre forward, but he is not.
Now that the bond between him and the Napoli crowd is unraveling, I think the better thing for him is to leave, to find another place to express his football and his undoubtedly big talent: if he stays with Napoli, he takes the risk of ruining it.
He's still young and he can still do very well. Where? Everton and West Ham are on him: especially the Hammers could be the right place for him.
At West Ham, in fact, there's the opposite misunderstanding with another Italian striker: Simone Zaza hasn't found the right place for himself, he's a centre-forward and not used to moving a lot in the attacking line. So, what could be better than a swap between Gabbiadini and Zaza? Good for them, to find again themselves, and good for the Italian national team.
HIGUAIN HANDS NAPOLI REGRETS
We are coming down from the match between Napoli and Juventus, between Gonzalo Higuain's past and present (and future, likely). And he was able to do what he does best: he scored the winning goal of the definitive 2-1 result, with many regrets from his former supporters who now see their team seven points behind their rivals.
JUVE WILL FIGHT TO KEEP KEAN
Moise Kean: this is the name of the new probable wonder of European football. Max Allegri had the audacity to put him on the bench in a Serie A match at the age of 16. Even if he wasn't to reach the pitch, he has the promise of his talent.
The eyes of half of Europe are on him, Born in Italy from Ivorian parents, he started playing football with Torino, but at the age of 10 he decided to pass to the other side of the city and sign for Juventus. I think that the Bianconeri will do everything they can to stand up to the inevitable sieges from the big European clubs, because they know very well that he could really represent their future.
ROMA WILL TRY FOR DEPAY
In Italy there are lot of rumors about a possible departure of Memphis Depay from Manchester United. Roma are looking for a winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who will be lost to the African Cup of Nations, and the long term injured Alessandro Florenzi: I expect they will make a try to have Depay for a loan spell.
And a head's up. In my next column I will tell you something about the bad ending of the story between Walter Zenga and Wolves: so stay tuned!
