Allegri faces Lukaku, Anguissa and Meret dilemmas at Napoli

Massimiliano Allegri has not yet begun his Napoli tenure, still awaiting the resolution of his Milan contract. The incoming coach already confronts a striker in dispute, a midfielder whose form has slipped, and an unsettled goalkeeper hierarchy. Romelu Lukaku sparked friction by staying in Belgium to recover from injury instead of returning to Napoli as instructed, angering Conte and the club hierarchy. Allegri admires Lukaku and reportedly tried to sign him from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. With one year left on his contract, a resolution is unlikely before the World Cup concludes. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s rehabilitation is a priority after a serious injury left him a shadow of his title‑winning self, seeing him on the bench for four of the final five matches. Allegri must decide whether Anguissa can regain his best form or if reinforcements such as Richard Rios or Adrien Rabiot, whose contracts expire in 12 months, are needed. The goalkeeper situation remains unresolved after Vanja Milinkovic‑Savic made 27 league appearances compared with Alex Meret’s 11, though Meret kept clean sheets in his two late‑season starts under Spalletti. Allegri will need to end the rotation and name a clear number one, a decision that could determine Meret’s future at the club.