Napoli have moved on after being put off by Man Utd and Man City’s asking prices for Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish.
Napoli appear to have found their new left winger, and it’s not one of the expensive Premier League outcasts on offer.
According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the Serie A club are now in advanced talks with PSV Eindhoven over a move for Dutch winger Noa Lang, with an agreement ‘increasingly close’.
Having already reached an ‘agreement’ with Lang himself, Napoli are now working to finalise the deal with PSV.
Di Marzio reports that the negotiations are progressing well, with all parties optimistic that a transfer can be completed soon.
Napoli have clearly identified Lang as a more financially viable alternative to their previous targets, with Man Utd and Man City both pricing them out of moves for Garnacho, Sancho and Grealish respectively.
Napoli had shown tentative interest in taking Jadon Sancho and stronger interest in Alejandro Garnacho from Old Trafford this summer, while Jack Grealish is being offered around by Manchester City after falling out of favour under Pep Guardiola.
But the high valuations placed on all three players reportedly deterred the Italian champions, who have instead opted to move quickly for the more cost-effective Lang.
Lang, 26, enjoyed a productive season with PSV in 2024/25, contributing 11 goals and 10 assists in 29 Eredivisie appearances.
His performances extended into European competition too, with two goals — against semi-finalists Arsenal and winners Paris Saint-Germain — and two assists in 10 Champions League appearances.
While he has been linked with several clubs across Europe in recent years, Lang now looks set to make the step up to Serie A with a Napoli side aiming to retain their Serie A crown.
With his ability to play off the left, cut inside on his stronger right foot, and contribute both goals and assists, he fits the profile Napoli were targeting to strengthen their front line.
For United and City, the move represents a missed opportunity to offload players who are no longer central to their plans.
Garnacho has clearly not done enough to justify a £70million price tag, while City’s £50m valuation of Grealish has proved just as prohibitive.
Sancho, meanwhile, flopped on loan at Chelsea last season and is back at Old Trafford on humongous wages that United are finding very difficult to shift. They reportedly want around £25m for the 25-year-old.
With Lang already agreeing personal terms, all that remains is for Napoli and PSV to finalise the fee for what they hope will be a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia replacement.
For the two Manchester clubs, it’s a sobering reminder that not every European club is willing to play Premier League prices. When it comes to selling outcasts, value matters.