David Neres

Key strength: Pace and dribbling

Wide creator

In a season that has veered alarmingly off-script, David Neres carries the weight of Napoli's fading hopes from the right flank. While the Partenopei languish in 18th place—mired in an unthinkable relegation battle that Antonio Conte is desperately trying to arrest—their Brazilian winger offers a glimmer of salvation. With 6 goals and 4 assists across 25 appearances, Neres has been one of the few constants in a campaign of chaos, notching a goal involvement every 137 minutes despite the collective struggle around him. Wearing the iconic number 7 shirt, the 29-year-old operates as an inverted right winger, drifting inside to unleash his devastating left foot—a technique honed during celebrated European nights with Ajax and Benfica. His €23 million valuation makes him Napoli's most prized asset at a time when financial uncertainty looms large. As Conte's side clings to their recent WWLDW form as a lifeline, Neres's explosive acceleration and dribbling wizardry could yet prove the difference between the unthinkable drop and a dramatic survival story at the Diego Maradona.