Nosa Edward Obaretin: Genoa eye move for Napoli centre-back

Italy-Nigeria defender Nosa Edward Obaretin of Napoli is being linked with a summer move to Serie A rivals Genoa as the Ligurian club explore options to strengthen their defence. The 23-year-old centre-back is under contract at Napoli until 30 June 2027, meaning any deal would require Genoa to negotiate a transfer fee rather than wait for a free move.

Obaretin, a left-footed central defender born in Forli, returned to Napoli this summer after a season-long loan at Empoli, where he added top-flight experience to an already substantial body of senior minutes. Before stepping up to Serie A, he clocked more than 4,000 minutes in Serie B and over 2,000 minutes in Serie C, underlining a steady progression through Italian professional football.

Genoa’s interest comes at a time when Obaretin’s stock has risen, with his market value currently listed at €1.5 million, its highest to date. Having initially made his way through the youth systems at Cesena and AC Milan before joining Napoli’s academy, he has also featured extensively at Primavera level and in the UEFA Youth League, giving him exposure to both domestic and continental youth competition.

Napoli formally promoted Obaretin from their Under-19 squad to the first team in July 2023 and have since used a series of loans to Trento, Bari and Empoli to accelerate his development. With two years remaining on his deal in Naples, the club are under no immediate pressure to sell, leaving Genoa to decide whether to firm up their interest with an offer in the current window.