According to Italian reports, Napoli expressed an interest in Francesco Pio Esposito, Inter Milan’s attacker, following Romelu Lukaku’s injury in pre-season. Antonio Conte, Napoli’s coach, is looking for a replacement in Lukaku, who will be absent from the field for several months. The Neapolitan club initially targeted Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta, but finally set course on Esposito, which he considers a complete player responding to Conte’s tactical needs. Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, would be willing to invest more than 40 million euros to acquire the young attacker, although this operation does not materialize at the moment. As a result, Chivu, Inter’s coach, plans to give Esposito more time during the season.

Inter Milan has prepared actively for his next Serie A match against Sassuolo, with Matteo Darmian who has resumed training. However, the situation of Lautaro Martinez is less certain. Back from international service, the Argentine striker seems to feel a slight discomfort and fatigue. After only 45 minutes against the Juventus, Martinez was left at rest for the match against Ajax, Esposito taking his place. A medical assessment is planned to determine its availability for the match against Sassuolo. If Martinez is fit, he could find his place in the eleven, but Chivu is ready to rely on Esposito if necessary.

It is remarkable that Inter Milan has an impressive record without its captain Lautaro Martinez, having not lost since 2019. Since Martinez’s injury, the team has won 21 of the 27 games played in his absence, with six matches. The last defeat without Martinez dates back to March 2019 against Lazio. Although back in training, Martinez always trains separately from the rest of the team, leaving a doubt about his participation in the next match against Sassuolo. Martinez’s prolonged absence underlines his crucial importance for the Inter Milan team.