Report: Allegri asks Napoli for four January signings

Napoli coach Max Allegri has reportedly requested four January reinforcements as the club tries to recover from a poor run in Serie A and the Champions League, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The report says President Aurelio De Laurentiis is prepared to back the coach rather than dismiss him, despite calls for a change.

Allegri's list is said to include a right-back, a physical midfielder and two strikers. With Giovanni Di Lorenzo injured, the report names Shakhtar Donetsk's Vinicius Tobias as a right-back option, while Sassuolo's Darryl Bakola is cited as a cheaper midfield alternative to Monaco's Mamadou Coulibaly, who is valued at around €40m.

The two forward slots are linked to expected departures for Noa Lang and Lorenzo Lucca, neither of whom reportedly regained fan support after last season's loan spells. Monza's Gustavo Varela, who has nine goals in his first 10 Serie A appearances and has received a first senior Portugal call-up, is named as the top target for a centre-forward role.

The claims come from a media report and have not been officially confirmed by Napoli.