Napoli considering move for Konstantinos Mavropanos as Kim Min-jae’s replacement

Napoli’s quest to land a new centre-back has led them to Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, according to Calciomercato.com.

After selling their star defender Kim Min-jae to Bayern Munich for €50 million, the Partenopei are planning to reinvest in a new top-class centre-back this summer.

Real Sociedad’s Robin Le Normand and Max Kilman of Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with a move to Diego Maradona Stadium, while Mavropanos has emerged as another target.

The ex-Arsenal defender has revived his career since joining Stuttgart in 2020, helping his side escape relegation from Bundesliga for the last two seasons.

The Greek international has made 89 appearances for Stuttgart but could be available for around €10 million this summer.

However, the Partenopei will face competition from fellow Serie A rivals Juventus.

The club’s new sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli – formerly of Napoli – has identified Mavropanos as a top defensive target after Leonardo Bonucci exited the club.

Fellow Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt are also keeping tabs on the Greek defender as a potential replacement for Evan Ndicka, who moved to AS Roma earlier this summer.

Napoli’s new manager Rudi Garcia has suggested that there may be no need for defensive reinforcements due to the options available at his disposal.

However, the Serie A champions will likely sign a new centre-back as they strive to defend the title next season.

The Neapolitans are also working on midfield reinforcements amid Piotr Zielinski’s exit speculation, identifying Tottenham Hotspur’s Giovani Lo Celso and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch as top targets.

Victor Osimhen’s future continues to be the subject of speculation, but Napoli are confident of tying him to a new deal.