Napoli miss out on Lang and Guiu as Galatasaray and Chelsea move on
Quick summary
Napoli suffer a double transfer blow as Galatasaray pull out of the move for Noa Lang and Chelsea sell Marc Guiu, both of whom were linked with the Italian club.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNapoli received a double whammy of bad news today, as Chelsea agreed the sale of Marc Guiu to RB Leipzig, while Noa Lang is off the Galatasaray table, so hope rests with Atalanta.
The Partenopei are under transfer restrictions this summer to keep the books in check, so need to sell any player before they can bring in new signings.
Napoli need Lang sale and replacement deal UDINE, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Noa Lang of Napoli controls the ball during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Friuli on December 14, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) Among those on the way out is Lang, who flopped badly following his €25m move from PSV Eindhoven last summer.
He clashed with coach Antonio Conte and was loaned out to Galatasaray, but failed to make much of an impact there either.
There had been suggestions he could return to Galatasaray, though that seems out of the question now the club has invested €43-45m in buying Rafael Leao from Milan.
NAPLES, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: Noa Lang of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his side third goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Atalanta BC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on November 22, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) Napoli’s best hope of getting rid of Lang now is Atalanta, because he is their Plan B in case Bologna do not release Jonathan Rowe.
Meanwhile, another Partenopei target is lost, because Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea have agreed the sale of Guiu to RB Leipzig.
COBHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: Marc Guiu of Chelsea looks on during a Chelsea FC Training Session at Chelsea Training Ground on January 20, 2026 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images) It had been unlikely anyway, as Napoli were only prepared to pick up Guiu on loan , something that the Premier League side resisted.
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What happened
Napoli's summer recruitment plans have taken a hit with two separate transfer targets slipping away. Galatasaray have dropped their interest in Noa Lang, while Chelsea have offloaded striker Marc Guiu elsewhere. The developments leave Napoli searching for alternative options in the wide attacking and striker departments ahead of the new season. With pre-season preparations underway, the Partenopei now face increased pressure to identify and secure alternative targets before the window closes.
Chance analysis
Napoli entered the summer with a clear recruitment blueprint, but the collapse of two parallel tracks leaves a visible gap in Antonio Conte's squad-building. Noa Lang was expected to add creativity and direct dribbling on the flank, while Guiu offered a young profile up front. Losing both forces the club to pivot, either by reviving dormant targets or accelerating negotiations elsewhere. The next 48 hours will be telling: the longer Napoli wait, the narrower the market becomes for proven alternatives.
Napoli lose two attacking options ahead of the new season, forcing a rethink of their recruitment strategy and potentially weakening their frontline depth.