After Benitez's move to Napoli was announced last month he was officially unveiled as the teams coach last week. Napoli are an Italian football club based in the Naples area, Walter Mazzarri the teams former coach has moved to Italian rivals Inter Milan but left behind a strong legacy after helping the team to secure second place in the top flight of Italian football, the Serie A league. Cavani a Napoli player was last seasons Serie A top goal scorer netting 29 times, and certainly helped the team to their best league finish since 1990 however, it is rumoured he is looking to move on during the summer and has been linked with a possible transfer to Chelsea or Real Madrid.
Potentially losing Cavani is a huge blow for Benitez and it is rumoured he is looking at some big name signings to put in the Napoli football shirt. Â It has been reported by some sources that Benitez is looking toward his former club Liverpool and Cavani's Uruguayan teammate Suarez to boost his new team. Â Suarez has been toying with leaving and has also been linked to Real Madrid, it is unlikely they will sign both players and Cavani seems to be their first choice therefore, Napoli is potentially an option for Suarez particularly as it will guarantee him Champions League football next season. Â Benitez has shown an interest in signing a number of other new players and is on the verge of completing his first deal, it is reported that Dries Mertens who currently plays for PSV is very close to signing a five year agreement and has passed a medical. Â Mertens is a winger and has stated that moving to Napoli 'is a great opportunity'. Â Strengthening his team and bringing in some new signings is a positive start to Benitez's reign at this Italian club.
Despite his outstanding record there is unlikely to be another manager that causes as much controversy as Benitez. Â His managerial history includes guiding Spanish club Valencia to two La Liga titles and a UEFA cup win, with Liverpool he won the Champions League and FA Cup, he helped Inter Milan secure the Fifa Club World Cup and last season as Chelsea's interim manager he won the Europa League. Â This impressive list of successes is not reflected in some people's opinion of him, during his time at Chelsea he was offered little support from the fans who held onto a grudge that dated back to comments he made about the club as Liverpool manager years earlier, and the Inter Milan fans don't think much of him either. Â Benitez's management style and team set up is markedly different to former coach Mazzarri's style, however the more defensive set up that Benitez prefers may well be what the team in the Napoli shirt need if they are to improve upon last seasons results and finish at the top of the Serie A. Â So far Benitez has received a positive reception from the Napoli fans whom he has thanked for their messages of welcome and support. Â Â It seems that Benitez has worked hard in the past despite fierce opposition and succeeded, he is one of Europe's most successful managers, with the support of the team, the board and the fans if he can sign the right players it will be worth watching the progress of the Napoli team, both in the Serie A and the Champions League they could be hot contenders for both over the next coupe of years.
What do you think about Benitez's move to Italy?
Can he add a Serie A win to his list of achievements?