Transfer-linked Milinkovic-Savic and Vergara return to Napoli on first day of training
Quick summary
Napoli duo Milinkovic-Savic and Vergara reported to the first day of pre-season training despite ongoing transfer speculation linking them away from the club.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNapoli’s new season is under way, with a first group of players reporting back for duty, among them two men whose summers have been anything but quiet.
According to IlNapolista , eleven players gathered at the SSC Napoli Training Center for the customary medicals and athletic tests: Beukema, Contini, Giovane, Gutierrez, Rafa Marin, Lindstrom, Mazzocchi, Lucca, Meret, Milinkovic-Savic and Vergara.
NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Antonio Vergara of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 15, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) Vergara and Milinkovic-Savic report amid Napoli transfer talk The last two names carry the most intrigue.
Antonio Vergara returns as the young midfielder the club refused to sell, having rebuffed offers approaching €30 million while moving to extend his contract, with Massimiliano Allegri planning a role for him in the senior side.
Goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s situation points the other way: he is among the sizeable group of players tipped for possible exits as the club works to slim down a squad Aurelio De Laurentiis has said must shed some of.
Pasquale Mazzocchi and Jesper Lindstrom, both also linked with moves away, were in the group too.
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What happened
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Alessio Vergara both returned to Napoli's training ground for the start of pre-season despite being heavily linked with moves away. Both players are reportedly on the radar of other clubs ahead of the summer window, but neither has secured an exit yet. Their return suggests Napoli are planning for the possibility of retaining them, or at least maintaining their fitness while negotiations continue.
Chance analysis
The presence of two transfer-linked players on day one of training is notable but not unusual. For Napoli, it indicates they may not have received satisfactory offers, or they are keeping players available as backup options while pursuing alternatives. For potential suitors, this signals a window that may remain open for negotiations. Neither player's return is a definitive statement on their future.
Both players remain technically in Napoli's squad for now, but their futures remain uncertain with likely departures still possible.
Treat Milinkovic-Savic and Vergara as available for Napoli selection until a transfer is confirmed; monitor for exit developments during the window.