After a disappointing title defence last season, Napoli are back in action for the 2024-25 season. The club appointed Antonio Conte as their new manager for the big season. Napoli ended their previous season outside the European places. They can focus on the Serie A title and the domestic cup.
Conte is now focusing on building a new team. Most of the big names are at the club, but Victor Osimhen’s future remains highly doubtful. He is attracting a lot of interest from several clubs. Napoli have decided to bring in some talented players. David Neres became their big-money investment this summer. The Brazilian joined the club after spending two years at Benfica.
David Neres is a big talent in football. He made his name at Ajax by winning titles for them. As he joins Napoli, we look at what Conte can expect from his new winger. Could he turn out to be the difference-maker?
Limited game time, high productivity
David Neres failed to win a regular spot in Benfica’s lineup. He was more of an impact player off the bench. Neres made 24 appearances in the league and only started half of these matches. However, he made a lot of impact on the field. The above viz shows the percentile rank in comparison to other left-attacking midfielders in Tier 2 league football. Neres was ranked very highly in the attacking department.
The 27-year-old is versatile on the field. He can play on both wings giving options to the manager. Neres uses full use of the width of the field. He takes on defenders in the wider zones. The above plot analyzes a player’s dribbling frequency and success rate, highlighting their capability to penetrate defences and create opportunities. Neres averaged eight dribbles per 90 minutes and completed nearly 62% of these dribbles. He could turn the defenders inside out in the Serie A.
Productivity
David Neres ended the season with five league goals. He got into good scoring positions on the edge of the six-yard box. The Brazilian also attempted some long rangers but most of his shots were blocked or were missing the target. Neres usually targets the left side of the goalkeeper.
Neres was creating goals for Benfica last season. He ended the season with eight assists. David got into good crossing positions. His ability to take on defenders and that too on the wider zones makes him a threat. Neres got into good positions and provided low crosses to his teammates. These passes could prove crucial for Napoli.
David Neres completed 40% of his crosses. His zones are much wider meaning that most of his crosses angle against the goal. He will look to improve his accuracy and create a few more goals from these passes.
The above plot reflects the player’s skill in delivering precise passes into the penalty area, a critical aspect of breaking down defences. Neres attempted 3.5 passes to the penalty box per 90 minutes and had a 54% accuracy rate. He will look to deliver more passes to the penalty box in Italy.
Antonio Conte has time to settle David Neres into the team. He will look to get the best out of the Brazilian.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine