SSC Napoli’s squad trimming push highlights growing role of fan tokens in football economics
President De Laurentiis says the club received roughly 200 transfer proposals but must sell before buying, while Napoli's blockchain partnerships quietly reshape how clubs monetize fandom.
Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of SSC Napoli, has drawn a line in the sand ahead of the 2026-27 season. The club must offload players before bringing anyone new through the door.
De Laurentiis says Napoli has received approximately 200 transfer proposals, but the priority is trimming a bloated roster that currently includes the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.
What’s happening in Naples
De Laurentiis put it plainly: Napoli “must trim the squad before thinking about any additions.”
Back in April 2026, he publicly advocated for cutting Serie A from 20 to 16 teams. His reasoning was straightforward: fewer teams means fewer fixtures, which means less physical strain on players and, theoretically, a stronger Italian national team.
The blockchain angle nobody’s talking about
SSC Napoli announced a partnership with KDA3 as its official global blockchain partner in 2025. The club also introduced the Napoli Fan Token, ticker NAP, built on the Chiliz Chain. These tokens give fans the ability to participate in certain club decisions and access enhanced engagement experiences through digital assets.