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Napoli President De Laurentis vows not to sign any African players in the future

Napoli president De Laurentiis has ruled out signing African players in the future.

The president said during an interview with Wall Street Italia show that he will only sign African players if they sign a contract that will omit them from playing the African cup of nations.

It’s worth noting that Napoli has three African players amongst their ranks, Nigerian forward Osimehen, Cameroon international Franck Andre Zambo Anguissa and Algeria’s Adam Ounas.

Last season, the duo alongside now Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly missed six Napoli games in January due to their participation in the Afcon 2021 tournament in Cameroon.

Napoli President De Laurentis vows not to sign any African players in the future

 

“Enough of African players, or they should give up playing in the African Cup of Nations. I won’t be buying them any more for this reason,” De Laurentiis told a Wall Street Italia show.

Napoli’s only two Serie A titles came in 1987 and 1990 with a side inspired by Argentina great Diego Maradona, and De Laurentiis is taking a strong stance with his players in his quest to bring success back to Naples.

“We pay the salaries to send them around to play elsewhere in the middle of the league championship,” the 73-year-old added.
“Or they sign a waiver that for Afcon and the championships in South America [the Copa America], I cannot make them available to participate.”

The two Napoli players that had minutes in the 2021 Afcon played key roles for their nations. Koulibaly captained Senegal to the trophy while Anguissa played a key role in Cameroon’s third place finish.

The current rules of world governing body Fifa stipulate that players must be released for the Nations Cup despite its mid-season timing in Europe.

As things stand, the next edition of Afcon scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast will also take place in January after it was shifted from June 2023 to January 2024 due to Beth weather conditions in the month of June.