Napoli director Giovanni Manna determined to reunite with Juventus stalwart after Buongiorno injury | OneFootball

With Alessandro Buongiorno ruled out with injury, Napoli are desperate for defensive reinforcement, and Giovanni Manna is reportedly gunning for a familiar name.

The Partenopei were already seeking a new centre-back before the most recent injury blow, as Antonio Conte has been primarily relying on Buongiorno and Amir Rrahmani as almost solitary options due to the lack of quality options, which was one of the main reasons behind the manager’s curious switch from his favorite 3-4-2-1 to 4-3-3.

Therefore, the Southern Italian side could now be aiming to sign multiple defenders in January.

So according to Sky Sport Italia via IlBianconero, Manna is still keen on reuniting with Danilo at the Stadio Maradona.

The 36-year-old rose to prominence for his notable work at Juventus Next Gen. He was then promoted to the first team as a replacement for Federico Cherubini who was suspended alongside other top club officials in the aftermath of the so-called Prisma (salary maneuvers) trial.

Therefore, Manna is looking to pounce on Danilo’s less-than-ideal situation at Juventus to lure him south.

The 33-year-old had been a stalwart for the Bianconeri in recent years, eventually earning the captain’s armband in the summer of 2023. However, he has been reduced to benchwarmer at the start of the current campaign, with Thiago Motta preferring other profiles. The Brazilian also produced a series of weak displays in previous months.

Nevertheless, the skipper has somewhat found his balance again after finding his way back to selection due to a ravaging injury crisis that pared down Juve’s backline to the very bone.

And while Danilo insists that he has no intention of jumping ship in the middle of the campaign, it remains to be seen if the Juventus management might have other plans. The player’s contract with the Old Lady will expire at the end of the season, while a renewal is currently out of the question.