Napoli Manager Hails New Boy Adam Ounas After an Exhilarating Start to Pre-Season
Napoli's nippy new winger has made quite the impression since arriving in Naples from Bordeaux, racking up three assists and three goals in four pre-season games.
Adam Ounas was signed for the Italian side after making 26 appearances for Bordeaux, helping the French side to a sixth place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
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But his new manager Maurizio Sarri is intent on keeping the 20-year-old grounded and not sing too many of his praises. Speaking to the press, Sarri said: "He's a young player with great potential but it'd be wrong to burden him with responsibility."
Napoli had an impressive campaign last season, falling five points short of the top spot in Serie A, however Sarri doesn't want to get carried away: "I think it's wrong to believe we're among the favourites. I don't want us to fail."
Sarri didn't speculate too much over transfer news, reaffirming that Napoli isn't his club - "He's (Aurelio De Laurentiis) the one that makes the decisions, I just roll with it," Sarri told the press. "I don't have any special requests, they'll give me a squad and I'll coach that squad."
Ounas will be looking to help Napoli qualify to the Champions League after Italian side finished third in Serie A last season.
Sarri confirmed his trust with goalkeeper Pepe Reina after reports circulated that he may be moving elsewhere, saying: "I trust him 101%. He has great quality and is very attached to this group, there's no issue with him."
Sarri also commented on Mertens playing as a striker, saying: "It's hard to tell a guy who's scored 36 goals in eight months he's not a striker and that he'll go back to playing out wide."
