Tag: Folorunsho

Napoli have officially extended the contract of Italy international and recent Hellas Verona loanee Michael Folorunsho.

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a new and improved five-year deal, which will run until the summer of 2029.

Napoli confirmed the new contract with a traditional photograph alongside club President Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Folorunsho originally joined from Serie C outfit Virtus Francavilla in the summer of 2019 and is still yet to make his Serie A debut for the Partenopei.

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The attacking-minded midfielder has been out on six different loan spells since his arrival in Naples, twice to Bari, twice to Reggina and once each to Pordenone and Verona.

The 2023-24 campaign was Folorunsho’s first in the Italian top flight, scoring five goals and providing one assist from 34 outings.

The pinnacle of Folorunsho’s career to date came this summer, when he was selected by national team head coach Luciano Spalletti for the final 26-man Azzurri squad for EURO 2024. He made his debut in a warm-up fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, before getting his first appearance at a major tournament in Italy’s 2-1 win over Albania.

Napoli midfielder Michael Folorunsho will stay at the club despite speculation that he would be surplus to requirements by new coach Antonio Conte.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (via calcionapoli24.it) claims that contrary to popular belief, Conte has deemed that the player is untouchable on the transfer market and  will actually utilise the 26-year-old in at least two different roles next season.

The pink journal states that Folorunsho, who had an excellent campaign on-loan at Hellas Verona in 2023-24, will be used as part of a four-man midfield in a 3-4-3 system whilst also being utilised as an extra attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

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Gazzetta also noted  that Folorunsho, who was part of the Italian national side that performed so badly in Germany this summer, will be offered a two-year extension to his current deal in Campania, which would tie him to the club until 2029.

Born to Nigerian parents, Folorunsho joined Napoli in the summer of 2019. Since then, he has also had loan spells at Bari, Reggina and Pordenone.