Napoli 2024/25 season preview: Predicted line-up, key fixtures and players to watch
Producing one of the worst Serie A title defences in history, Napoli finished 10th at the end of the 2023/24 season, and it was clear that Partenopei president Aurelio De Laurentiis needed to take action, hiring Antonio Conte as their new coach.
Conte enters the 2024/25 campaign in circumstances tailored to his liking. Like his arrival at Juventus in 2011 and Chelsea in 2016, he arrives at a club that performed below expectations in the previous season and he does not have to worry about European fixtures, allowing more time to work with his squad.
Although a repeat of the 2022/23 Serie A-winning heroics under Luciano Spalletti might seem unlikely for now, Conte has enough experience and tactical nous to build a team capable of qualifying for the Champions League in 2025/26.
Napoli 2024 summer transfers
Napoli's transfer window started rather swiftly with some early acquisitions, but their activity has stagnated in recent weeks, largely due to potential changes in attack. To accommodate Conte and his preference for a back-three formation, the Partenopei have made reinforcements in defence.
Central defender Alessandro Buongiorno was purchased from Torino for €35 million, left-wing-back Leonardo Spinazzola signed on a free transfer from AS Roma, and Spanish defender Rafa Marin arrived from Real Madrid for €12m albeit with two buy-back clauses attached: €25m from June 2026 and €35m from June 2027.
The Neapolitans have also offloaded some players who weren't regulars or they flopped in Naples. Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom has joined Everton on loan, Alessandro Zanoli was loaned out to Genoa, Norwegian defender Leo Ostigard was sold to Rennes for €7m, and Brazilian centre-back Natan has joined Real Betis with an option to be bought outright for €9m.
However, Napoli have had issues signing some players and selling others. Paris Saint-Germain reportedly wanted to sign Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but a combined transfer fee of €200m was considered to be insufficient, and Chelsea have not met the demands of the Partenopei either. Conte wants Romelu Lukaku at Napoli, but the Southern Italian club are not prepared to offer the Premier League club any more than €25m.
A deal for Frosinone midfielder Marco Brescianini has fallen through and he could join Atalanta instead while a deal for Jens Cajuste to join Brentford has also collapsed. Despite some decent signings, the continued uncertainty concerning potential sales and acquisitions will not put Conte at ease.
How will Napoli line up in the new season?
Although Conte usually favours the 3-5-2 formation, his Napoli side will probably line up in a 3-4-2-1, so he can accommodate certain players into his system.
Wingers such as Matteo Politano and Kvaratskhelia should operate in more central channels while right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo should play further up the pitch than in previous years in a wing-back role.
Napoli played against Serie B club Modena in a scoreless draw in the opening round of the Coppa Italia, eventually defeating the Canarini 4-3 on penalties. Di Lorenzo operated in the back three with Buongiorno and Rrahmani while Pasquale Mazzocchi played at right wing-back and Giacomo Raspadori was the lone striker.
With no European fixtures to worry about, Conte will not have to do many squad rotations and he can focus on building chemistry with his preferred starting line-up.
This is how Napoli’s predicted first-choice line-up for 2024/25 looks like as of today: Meret; Rrahmani (Rafa Marin), Buongiorno, Olivera; Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; Politano, Kvaratskhelia; Osimhen (Raspadori).
Napoli's key fixtures in 2024/25
Napoli have a rather easy start to the season on paper, opening their campaign with a trip away to Hellas Verona. Forty years earlier, the legendary Diego Maradona made his Serie A debut for the Partenopei in a 3-1 defeat in Verona, but this Gialloblu side does not possess the quality like that team to win the scudetto.
The first major test will come on Matchday 5, when the Azzurri will face Conte's former club Juventus in Turin on September 22 (date to be confirmed). Matchdays 10 to 13 will be tough as the Neapolitans will face AC Milan, Inter, and AS Roma in that period.
Napoli host Juventus on Matchday 22 while they face AS Roma in the following round for the return leg of the Derby della Sole. They host the Milanese teams in March, facing Inter at the start of the month and AC Milan at the end of it.
The Partenopei will end the 2024/25 Serie A season with a match at home against Cagliari on May 25.
Napoli players to watch this season
Napoli's new signings will be worth keeping an eye out for as they hold the key to the change in system under Conte.
Alessandro Buongiorno played in a three-man defence under Ivan Juric at Torino, so he should adapt rather comfortably to Conte's methods. The former Granata captain is 25 years old and he has earned four caps for the Italy Men's National Team, so the move to Naples should be a further test of his credentials.
Leonardo Spinazzola has been known to be an injury-prone player, but he is an excellent attacking weapon on the left flank when he is fit. Conte is known to wear out his players in training, but with the right conditioning, the former AS Roma wing-back could provide some extra attacking impetus.
Beyond the new signings, Raspadori could be a much-improved player for Napoli this season, and his versailty can be asset. He can operate as an out-and-out striker or he could play behind the centre-forward. Argentine forward Giovanni Simeone might be tailor-made for Conte's methods. A hard-working striker, his style of play might help bring the new coach's philosophy to fruition.