Author: Soorya G
Reports have emerged confirming Napoli’s successful search for a successor to Kim Min-Jae, who recently completed a £43 million move to Bayern Munich. The Italian club announced that Natan had signed a five-year contract. The decision to extend Kevin Danso’s contract with Lens prompted the Italian champions to quickly secure the services of Brazilian defender Natan, who comes in as the club’s fourth choice after their main targets failed to materialize.
Natan, born in 2001, began his footballing journey as a left-back in Ponte Preta’s youth team during the 2020-2021 season. However, he quickly rose to prominence, establishing himself as a key figure for Flamengo at the age of 20. Acquired permanently in 2022 from Bragantino, Natan looks set to emerge as a key figure for the Brazilian national team in the coming years.
Napoli coach Garcia seems to have finally solved the team’s need for a fourth central defender, which has been a recent focus. With Natan joining the team alongside Rrahmani, Ostigard and Juan Jesus, the gap created by Kim’s departure seems to have been filled.
According to reports, Napoli’s successful bid was for £10 million plus bonuses, slightly less than they spent on Kim a year ago. Natan’s partnership with Pablo Mari at Flamengo left a good impression, and Mari is currently making strides at Monza. Natan’s attributes include technical ability, speed and strong charisma, making him the ideal successor to Kim at Napoli. His potential as a leader is also recognized by both his new club and Brazil.
Natan’s journey will undoubtedly require him to adapt to the demands of European soccer. Although his abilities in this context have yet to be evaluated, his acquisition is in line with Napoli’s strategy of identifying players with moderate costs who can become top-level players for the team. After an extensive search, Natan seems to be the solution for Napoli, marking a clear direction in their transfer strategy. It’s also interesting to note that AS Roma’s previous offer of £7 million and a 20% future resale clause was turned down by the Brazilian club.