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WHY ANTONIO CONTE IS "FRUSTRATED" DESPITE NAPOLI’S DOMINANT 2-0 VICTORY OVER LAZIO

Napoli climb to second in Serie A! Discover why Antonio Conte is praising his squad but refusing to talk about January signings.

Why Antonio Conte is "frustrated" despite Napoli’s dominant 2-0 victory over Lazio
Antonio Conte fumes over Kvaratskhelia sale

Antonio Conte sees real progress in his Napoli squad after their 2-0 win away at Lazio on Sunday, though he didn’t have much patience for questions about the transfer market. “Last year I said let’s not overdo it, and then we sold Kvaratskhelia,” he said, a little frustrated.

Napoli climbed back to second in Serie A thanks to goals from Leonardo Spinazzola and Amir Rrahmani at the Stadio Olimpico. For Conte, it was a milestone—his first ever competitive win over Maurizio Sarri.

Talking to DAZN after the match, Conte gave a quick update on David Neres, who went off with a strange injury in the 70th minute. “For Neres, we’ll have to wait for tomorrow’s tests. It’s not a muscular issue. We hope it’s nothing serious. We’ve dealt with so many injuries for a long time,” he said.

Then he focused on the game itself. “I have to congratulate the lads. Playing at this technical level and with such physical strength, without letting Lazio play their football, that’s not easy. We put in a really high-quality performance.”

Napoli looked especially dangerous down the right, and when asked about his tactics, Conte explained, “When you get time to prepare properly, you try to get everything out of your players and find the spots where you can hurt your opponents. The effort tonight was exceptional.”

He admitted Napoli could be a little more selfish in front of goal, but he’s happy, considering all the injuries. “Maybe we’re missing a bit of selfishness because we’re creating so much, but I’m really happy, given everything we’ve gone through with injuries and missing players.

“We’re showing great signs, and these wins are coming against top teams who know how to play. Now we have to play every three days, without much chance to rotate. We just hope we don’t end up paying the price for always relying on the same guys.”

When the conversation switched to the January transfer window, Conte shut it down fast. “I don’t talk about that. Last year I said let’s not do too much, and then we sold Kvaratskhelia,” he said.

“What we need is obvious to everyone. My job is to coach and make the best out of what I’ve got. I know expectations for me are always sky-high. So, with the guys, we’ll just try to give everything we have.”

10-WEEK WAIT: WHAT DID BILLY GILMOUR DO DURING HIS LONG RECOVERY PERIOD IN LONDON?

Billy Gilmour is back: Analyse his return against Roma and the latest news on Scott McTominay's new 2030 Napoli contract talks.

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Billy Gilmour returns for Napoli after 10 weeks out with injury

Billy Gilmour couldn’t hide his excitement after finally shaking off his injury. Those ten weeks on the sidelines felt like forever, honestly.

He made his return on Sunday, stepping onto the pitch for the first time since November 1. Gilmour came on with just 11 minutes left in Napoli’s 2-2 draw against Roma and didn’t waste any time; he played a key pass that set up Alisson Santos’ equaliser only three minutes after coming on.

Gilmour, who used to run the midfield for Chelsea and Brighton, had been part of the Scotland squad that booked a spot at next summer’s World Cup in North America. Still, he missed those crucial games against Greece and Denmark and ended up needing surgery for a hernia right after.

While he was out, things got rough for Napoli. They slipped out of the title race and crashed out early from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

But for Gilmour, just being back on the pitch meant everything. He posted on Instagram: “First steps in 2026. There’s no better feeling than being on the pitch and doing it in front of your fans! It’s been a long 10 weeks; now I’m back doing what I love with this team. Forza Napoli Sempre!”

In other news, Scott McTominay, Gilmour’s teammate for both club and country, is in talks over a new Napoli contract. Since joining Manchester United for £27.5 million a year and a half ago, McTominay’s been a game-changer, banging in 12 goals during Napoli’s title run and picking up the league’s player of the year award.

He’s missed the last couple of matches but looks set to return against Atalanta on Sunday. With two and a half years left on his current deal, Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport says his agent and the club are already discussing improved terms.

NAPLES OR MANCHESTER? SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S AGENT HOLDS CRITICAL CONTRACT TALKS WITH NAPOLI

Scott McTominay's agent is in Naples! Discover the details of the 2030 contract offer and why Manchester United want him back now.

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Napoli’s Results Dipped During McTominay’s Recent Two-Match Absence

Scott McTominay’s team has sat down with Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, to talk about a possible contract extension at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After 22 years at Manchester United, McTominay, now 29, made a £25.7 million move to Naples in August 2024.

He wasted no time making an impact. In his first season with Napoli, he played a key role as they clinched their second Serie A title in three years. He didn’t just help them win; he was named the league’s MVP. McTominay racked up 12 goals and six assists during that title run.

He’s kept up that form this season, too. So far, he’s scored 10 goals and picked up four assists across Serie A and the Champions League. Lately, though, he’s missed the last two matches, including Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Roma, after picking up an injury in the win over Genoa on February 7.

Even with him sidelined, there’s plenty of talk about his future in Naples. Corriere dello Sport says Napoli is already working on a new, improved contract for McTominay, who’s signed until 2028, after his standout first 18 months in Italy.

Antonio Conte’s side wants to keep him at the club until at least 2030. Reports say McTominay’s agent has flown to Naples for talks, and negotiations with Manna about the new deal are already underway.

So far, they haven’t hammered out the details on salary. But after proving himself as one of Serie A’s best, McTominay is set for a pay bump.

All this talk about a new deal comes just days after rumours surfaced about Manchester United being in the mix for McTominay’s return. Tuttomercatoweb reported on Friday that he’s considering heading back to the Premier League in 2026, with United leading the chase.

Supposedly, he and his girlfriend Cam Reading are thinking about a move home, and it sounds like a Premier League return could happen sooner rather than later.

Napoli’s global business development officer, Leonardo Giammarioli, spoke about the transfer buzz last week. He told talkSPORT the club is trying to fend off interest from other teams.

“Yeah, of course I’m worried,” he said. “But honestly, especially with Scott, he’s a great guy, we’d be happy if he reaches the next level in a couple of years. Maybe not now, maybe not next year, but he deserves it.

“Look at Stuttgart, they wanted to keep Nick Woltemade, but when Newcastle offered £65 million, there’s not much you can do. If the player wants to go and the money’s right, it’s tough for Italian clubs. The league keeps losing revenue.”

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