Late goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Gianluca Gaetano guided Serie A champions Napoli to a 3-1 win over 10-man Inter, denting the Nerazzurri's bid for a top-four finish.

Simone Inzaghi named a much-changed team with one eye on Wednesday's Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina, and Inter's task was made more difficult when Roberto Gagliardini was dismissed after picking up two first-half bookings.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa broke Inter's resistance when he fired home on the turn, but Romelu Lukaku looked to have stolen a point with a close-range finish eight minutes from time.

Napoli were determined to continue their Scudetto celebrations with another win, however, Di Lorenzo firing into the top-left corner before Gaetano struck on the break to leave Inter vulnerable in the top-four battle.

Chelsea have spent plenty of money on recruitment during the January transfer window, landing Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueka, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.

But the Blues may not be done with transfer activity before Tuesday's window closure.

Chelsea are still eager to bolster their midfield options, having missed out on a few key targets.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO MOVE FOR EVERTON MIDFIELDER

Chelsea will move to sign unsettled Everton defensive midfielder Amadou Onana, according to The Times.

The Blues will divert their attention to the Senegal-born Belgium international after missing out on Benfica's Enzo Fernandez and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.

Onana was given a leave of absence from Everton training earlier this week and is unhappy given the club's plight with Frank Lampard sacked as manager this week.

 

ROUND-UP

Ferran Torres could be sold by Barcelona in the off-season, despite only joining the Blaugrana in January last year, reports Sport. Barca have ignored offers for the forward in January, despite some clubs wanting him on loan while the report links Atletico Madrid with the 22-year-old.

Milan are monitoring the status of Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, according to The Sun. The Portuguese has struggled for games since the World Cup and could be open to a move.

Tottenham are getting closer to completing a deal for Sporting full-back Pedro Porro, reports The Guardian. Sporting are determined to recoup his buyout clause of €45 million (£39.7m), with talks, ongoing since the start of the month, getting towards a conclusion.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Weston McKennie has agreed personal terms with Leeds United however the move hinges on negotiations with Juventus about the transfer fee. Leeds' opening bid was €28m, but the Bianconeri want €35m.

– Everton are plotting a shock £25m move to sign Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Sky Sports. Roma are also interested in the 29-year-old too, while PSG are keeping tabs on him, according to Media Foot.

Nottingham Forest are weighing up a bid to sign 28-year-old Italian midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from Inter, claims Calciomercato.

Inter midfielder Roberto Gagliardini looks set to leave San Siro at the end of the season after claiming he needs more regular football.

The 28-year-old former Atalanta player, who has been capped by Italy, has started only two Serie A games this season for the Nerazzurri.

One of those came on Sunday when he helped Simone Inzaghi's team to a 1-0 win against Hellas Verona, playing the full game.

Gagliardini has featured off the bench six times in the Italian top flight this term, but he wants greater and more consistent involvement, and that will probably mean his future lies elsewhere.

He was praised by coach Inzaghi on Saturday, commended for an "excellent" display, but Gagliardini's contract expires at the end of the campaign and all signs point to a parting of ways during the Italian summer.

Bergamo-born Gagliardini told Sky Sport: "I'm no longer willing to have this playing time. I'm 28 years old, and I want to prove a lot.

"I'm more ready than a few years ago, because these years have seen great growth for me, in my head and in the reaction to the difficult moments, so in June I will make my decisions."

Gagliardini was a Serie A winner with Inter two years ago, but he was only a bit-part player in that success, starting four times and coming off the bench on nine occasions.

Responding to his player's comments, Inzaghi said in a press conference: "The important thing is that he does well on the pitch.

"He's highly regarded by everyone, he's a serious professional who works very well. He's had a few minor problems in the last year, but he's always gritted his teeth, guaranteeing his contribution."

Simone Inzaghi has challenged Inter to strive for more following their 2-0 win over Spezia.

Goals from Roberto Gagliardini and Lautaro Martinez gave the Nerazzurri a third successive Serie A win for the first time under Inzaghi.

It was a dominant performance at San Siro by the hosts, who registered 31 shots on goal – the most by any side during a single match in the Italian top flight this season.

Victory ensured that Inter remained in third place and maintained pressure on Napoli and Milan.

Though full of confidence and 10 matches unbeaten heading into Saturday's showdown with Roma, Inzaghi has urged his players not to rest of their laurels.

"It was an important game," he said. "The guys were amazing, they entered immediately with the right attitude, and I am very satisfied.

"Closing the game without conceding a goal is a reason for satisfaction. 

"We played a careful game without disuniting, despite the fact that we had in front of us a team all closed and ready to start again. 

"I'm very, very satisfied with the guys, but we know we haven't done anything yet and on Saturday, we have another challenging match ahead of us.

"We are growing. Difficult matches await us but with this union and with this desire, we can do even better."

Gagliardini's first goal of the season set Inter on their way; the midfielder becoming their 13th different scorer this term.

The Italy international has found the net in 13 different Serie A matches for the Nerazzurri, who have gone on to win on each occasion.

"I always try to score goals when I have the opportunity. I'm glad I did it again tonight," he said.

"I am the 13th scorer of the season: it is the testimony that we always plays well, we always have many scoring opportunities. Victories come thanks to everyone's work.

"We are a solid group, we are the reigning Italian champions and this thing gives us great awareness. 

"The match in Rome is very important for our path; we will have to put in all the necessary energy and concentration."

Inter saw off Spezia 2-0 at San Siro to make it three Serie A wins in a row under Simone Inzaghi for the first time.

The in-form hosts defeated leaders Napoli and lowly Venezia in their previous two league outings and were good value for their latest victory at home to Spezia.

Roberto Gagliardini rounded off a nice team move to give Inzaghi's men a half-time lead and Lautaro Martinez, who created the opener, doubled his side's tally from the penalty spot to seal the victory.

Inter climb two points above Milan in second and within a point of Napoli, but those two teams are in action later on Wednesday against Genoa and Sassuolo respectively.

Spezia had lost each of their last four away games, conceding 14 goals in the process, but they held firm until unlikely scorer Gagliardini made a breakthrough after 36 minutes.

Danilo D'Ambrosio played the ball inside to Martinez, who flicked it into the path of Gagliardini to sweep away from Ivan Provedel into the bottom-left corner.

Samir Handanovic was required to keep out a Kelvin Amian header before half-time, though Inter gave themselves some breathing space just short of the hour mark.

Having already rattled the crossbar with a powerful drive, Martinez's next shot hit Jakub Kiwior on the arm and the forward made no mistake in converting the resulting spot-kick.

That made it goals in each of his last three league games for Martinez and, while neither he nor his team-mates could add to the scoring, Inter saw out a routine victory.

 

Inter notched up a club record 14 consecutive home wins in Serie A as two goals from Alexis Sanchez gave them a 5-1 win over Sampdoria on Saturday.

The recently-crowned Serie A champions took the lead in the fourth minute when Roberto Gagliardini guided the ball beyond Emil Audero.

Sanchez gave a reminder of his quality with a classy finish to increase Inter's lead before ex-Inter man Antonio Candreva pulled a goal back for Sampdoria.

Another fine finish from Sanchez made it 3-1 heading into half-time before Antonio Conte's side put a deserved gloss on the result with a clinical goal from Andrea Pinamonti and a Lautaro Martínez penalty.

Inter were serenaded by their fans outside San Siro and given a guard of honour by Sampdoria's players before kick-off having secured their first Scudetto in 11 years last weekend.

The Nerazzurri were quickly into their stride on the pitch and went ahead when Matias Vecino stole possession to setup a counterattack which culminated in Gagliardini sliding in to direct Ashley Young's cross into the net.

Achraf Hakimi almost scored a dazzling individual goal with a run from his own penalty area only to be denied by a fingertip save by the diving Audero.

Inter's second goal arrived just before the half hour when Sampdoria were again caught on the break as Gagliardini's clever pass found Sanchez who steered the ball home in style.

Sampdoria pulled a goal back moments later when Samir Handanovic was deceived by Candreva's miscued shot and tamely allowed the ball over the line.

Inter responded immediately with a piece of precise finishing from Sanchez, who met Hakimi's cross and found the corner of the net with a clipped finish from the just inside the box.

Conte's men were ruthless after the break as Pinamonti scored his first Inter goal in Serie A when he controlled an awkward ball and crisply dispatched it beyond Audero.

Sampdoria's Adrien Silva was deemed to have handled inside the area following a VAR check and Martinez fired the resulting spot-kick high into the net.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.