The most iconic contract signings of Napoli footballers

The moment of a footballer's signing is always important, especially for the fans. It dispels the suspense that accompanies the athlete's acquisition process, the danger that it might not come to a successful conclusion, any hiccups during medical examinations, and much more. In short, a footballer's signing is a true baptism, and like any respected sacrament, it is immortalized by countless cameras; thus, the images spread through the media in no time, and every ambiguous detail catches the eye. For instance, the images of the signing of the new Lazio coach, Marco Baroni, who impressed ink on paper using a multicolor pen, one of those "four colors in one" you might have last seen in middle school. The virality of the images sparked a playful discussion; playful for everyone except Lazio fans, already quite disappointed by a complicated situation. 

Then it was Napoli's turn, which introduced the acquisition of the left-back Leonardo Spinazzola in a rather understated manner, considering the standard to which Aurelio De Laurentiis has accustomed us in recent years: a blue billboard with the logos of the club's sponsors as background, a beaming smile, the new Home jersey on, and a fountain pen with the club's logo firmly in hand, ready to sign the contract - if you fancy it, you can purchase it for €489 on Napoli's website. But the overall aesthetic of the presentation is completely different from that (wild) of Gökhan Inler, as well as those of Zinedine Machach, Fabian Ruiz, and Stanislav Lobotka - just some of the more picturesque events bearing the stamp of Aurelio De Laurentiis. The president of Napoli seems to stop feeling like a main carachter; it's part of this year's communication strategy, where De Laurentiis (perhaps) won't steal the limelight from Antonio Conte.

It's July 11, 2011, when Gökhan Inler, after 4 convincing years with Udinese, signs with Napoli. An important acquisition for the Neapolitan club, adding a key piece to a midfield that counts mediocre players - especially when compared to those who have passed through the club's ranks in the last surprising seasons. Aurelio De Laurentiis, in a press conference immediately after the signing, chooses to disguise him in a lion costume, asking him to point his finger at the camera. It's a scene bordering on circus-like that only highlights the new player's subordination to his president - who has just staged a clumsy Americanism. Less flamboyant but still noteworthy are the presentation images of Machach, Ruiz, and Lobotka. For the first two, the location remains unchanged: a kitschy office filled with posters of Aurelio De Laurentiis's latest film projects (Benedetta follia and Natale col boss), in the case of the latter, there's also a giant photograph of the team filling the room. The framing that captures Lobotka suggests he might be inside a hotel lobby, a rather ambiguous location.

At Aurelio De Laurentiis's Napoli, there has always been an avoidance of the risk of being overshadowed by the media when presenting new players - but this year, without doing anything special, he managed to steal the scene. The talk was stirred by the change in direction of one of the most extroverted and singular presidents Italian football has ever known. And the "merit" belongs to the importance status of a coach like Antonio Conte, who doesn't tolerate the risk of distraction with frivolities even before the season begins. Meanwhile, cringe-worthy presentation fans will have to wait for Antonio Conte's adventure on Napoli's bench to end as soon as possible, so that ADL can return to exalting his personality and staging over-the-top scenes.