It has been reported that Antonio Conte (55), the former Tottenham manager, requested the signing of midfielder Dejan Kulusevski (24, Tottenham) after taking over as head coach of Napoli.
According to British media outlet 'TeamTalk,' citing Italian media 'TuttoJuve' on the 28th (Korean time), "Conte wants Kulusevski in the summer transfer window. He has demanded the club to acquire proven resources to make Napoli a competitive team in Italy and Europe."
Kulusevski has recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in 42 matches this season, playing alternately as an attacking midfielder and right winger for Tottenham. He has been praised as the most consistently performing player under manager Ange Postecoglou.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster praised him in January through his YouTube channel, saying, "Kulusevski is an incredible and amazing player. He had the best performance of the season."
His activity level is among the highest in the league. According to football statistics outlet 'Opta,' Kulusevski averaged 12.3 kilometers per match among players who played over 1,500 minutes in the Premier League this season, ranking first in activity level. Recently, he temporarily withdrew from the lineup due to injuries caused by excessive playing time.
Conte established his connection with Kulusevski during his time at Tottenham. Conte became the Tottenham manager in November 2021, and Kulusevski joined on loan from Juventus in January 2022. The two worked together for about one year and two months until Conte was dismissed in March 2023. Given that Conte closely observed Kulusevski's skills during this period, he seems to have identified him as a key resource for Napoli's attacking line.
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