Napoli’s Alisson Santos: Looking back on winger’s unexpected Serie A impact

AllScores

Despite losing Giovanni Di Lorenzo to a season-ending injury in January, Napoli prioritised a move for right-footed winger Alisson Santos over the arrival of a new right-back.

Antonio Conte’s former side shelled out around €3.5 million to sign the 23-year-old on loan until the end of the season, including a €16.5m buyout clause in their agreement with Sporting CP.

Santos failed to score in his first 18 league appearances for the Primeira Liga heavyweights, but that didn’t deter the Partenopei from luring him to Serie A during the winter transfer window.

With Noa Lang joining Galatasaray on a six-month loan following an underwhelming first half of the season, Napoli needed a new winger to increase their firepower upfront.

Though Santos’ arrival went under the radar, the Brazilian starlet has taken Serie A by storm, emerging as one of Napoli’s standout performers in the second half of the season.

Dazzling start

Santos painted his Serie A debut with flying colours, netting a last-gasp equaliser after coming off the bench in February’s Derby del Sole against Roma at the Diego Maradona Stadium.

He then scored in his third league start for Conte’s team, finding the net in a 2-1 victory over Torino. It was a carbon copy of his goal against the Giallorossi, becoming a trademark of his early career in Naples.

Indeed, his ability to cut inside from the left flank and pick out both corners with pinpoint precision led many Napoli fans to compare him to former Scudetto winner Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Santos’ goal in a 4-0 rout of Cremonese last month was another proof of his devastating cutting edge in the final third, as he beat his marker in one-v-one before finishing with aplomb from the edge of the box.

Despite only scoring three goals in 11 league matches, Santos was one of the architects of Napoli’s top-four push in the second half of the season, alongside Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne.

Genuine threat

The former Vitoria starlet soaked up the limelight as Napoli’s most threatening forward in the absence of David Neres, quickly becoming one of the fan favourites at the Maradona Stadium.

His four goals in the Partenopei shirt came from 16 shots on target (via ESPN). Overall, he has registered 29 attempts in total, highlighting his direct approach and willingness to take responsibility in front of goal.

Santos averages 3.14 shots per 90 minutes, while also registering 24 successful passes per game and completing 11 key passes so far. Moreover, he is also a prolific dribbler, averaging 3.55 successful dribbles per match.

He boasts a 56.52% dribble completion rate, an impressive figure in a league where space is often limited and defenders are well-drilled in one-on-one situations.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Brazilian star has drawn just seven fouls, though it also reflects how quickly he releases the ball and gets past defenders with minimal contact.