Napoli forward Alisson de Almeida Santos enters the second week of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign as Massimiliano Allegri's side pursues attacking reinforcements — and finds the market closing doors faster than it opens them. The 23-year-old Brazilian carries a 6.30 average rating from his single league appearance, no goals, no assists, and the quiet pressure of a club that is actively shopping for the forward depth he has yet to provide.
The context sharpens the stakes. Chelsea's Marc Guiu has been sold to another club, removing him from Napoli's reach. Galatasaray have also dropped their pursuit of Noa Lang, a name linked to the azzurri. Two of Allegri's reported attacking targets are gone within the same news cycle. That is not merely bad timing — it is a structural signal. When a club chases multiple forwards simultaneously, it is telling you something about its confidence in the options already on the roster.
Alisson Santos is one of those options. His AI overall rating of 71 out of 100, with a potential ceiling of 78, suggests a player whose best football is still ahead of him — but potential is a currency that earns nothing until it is converted on the pitch. One match is too small a sample to judge, and Napoli's 2-0 win against Genoa, which placed them fourth in the early table, was built on defensive solidity rather than attacking output. The team scored twice; Santos contributed to neither goal directly.
What the market turbulence does is clarify his opportunity. Folorunsho, Ngonge, and Cheddira have all left the club in confirmed departures — two on loan to Monza, one sold permanently to Avellino. The squad is being trimmed, not expanded, at least in the short term. If Allegri cannot land a new attacker before the window closes, Santos moves from fringe option to genuine necessity.
The upcoming match against Como — who drew 1-1 away at Udinese in their opener — offers exactly the kind of fixture where a young forward can impose himself. Como will not arrive at this stage of the season with the defensive organisation of a settled top-half side. That is a window, not a guarantee.
Allegri's Napoli have the points, the clean sheet, and the early momentum. What they lack is a forward who has made the position his own. Santos has the profile to be that player. The next ninety minutes will say more about whether he intends to be.