LUCCA IS NAPOLI’S NEW FORWARD

Following the signing of Kevin De Bruyne, Marianucci, Beukema and Noa Lang, Napoli are adding another important element to their set-up. Antonio Conte is welcoming Lorenzo Lucca, a tactical purchase, in line with the coach’s plans. With the defence sorted and the wings boosted, the club has targeted out a young, but already experienced, centre-forward in Serie A, whose technical and athletic skills work perfectly with Conte’s demands: he is a quality alternative when Lukaku needs a breather, but also a great asset in high intensity games.

His Serie A introduction with Udinese

In his first Serie A season, he scored eight goals before then scoring twelve in the next campaign, totalling 20 goals over the two years: his constant progression means he is one of the best young forwards in the league. Since the 2023/24 season, he is the youngest player (born in September 2000) to have scored 20 league goals. Adding to this Serie A record, he scored three goals in the Coppa Italia, a sign of his goal-scoring ability in different competitions. His convincing performances also attracted the attention of Luciano Spalletti, who gave him his Italy debut in October 2024, before then making five appearances from the bench for the Azzurri.

What Lucca can bring to Napoli: a physical striker with an eye for goal

At over two metres tall, Lucca is an authentic goalscorer and a specialist in the air. He is dominant in duels, good at laying it off and protecting the ball, a classic target-man that Antonio Conte loves so much: a centre-forward able to get his team up the pitch, opening up spaces for forward runs and physically challenging opposing defenders. Furthermore, only Duván Zapata (10) scored more headers than him (8) in the last two seasons, level with a specialist like Djuric: it is a stat that will work well with Napoli’s wing play, with top wingers like Neres, Politano and Noa Lang as well as an assist specialist in Kevin De Bruyne. But Lucca is not all about strength. He also has a nose for goal and takes his chances well: all of his twelve goals last season came from inside the box, proving his pure goal-scoring instincts. His magnificent goal against Monza (a difficult acrobatic volley) is a real showcase of his technical repertoire.

With his first experience in one of Italy’s biggest teams coming up, Lucca will bring enthusiasm and ambition to Napoli. He is joining a top-level group and a system that suits his playstyle well, so he will have a great chance to grow and contribute to the Azzurri’s project under Antonio Conte. There is room for improvement but now it is over to him to make the most of this opportunity. (Photo Website Napoli + Getty Images)