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Apparently, Pablo Armero missed training with the Napoli squad yesterday due to a tummy ache. And that, of course, has set a whole chain of rumors into motion.
Yesterday the Colombian trained alone, with official reports saying he had a mild illness. Apparently, that illness was brought on by the fact that there's less than ten days left in the transfer market and Napoli have yet to find a club willing to buy Armero.
Despite the fact that Napoli are in shambles at the back, Armero hasn't played since the match at Hellas Verona. It's not like Anthony Réveillère is that much of an upgrade, so there can only be one reason why Armero is sitting on the bench: showcasing him for another side.
That's right. Armero is a Colombian international who caught the attention of many sides while at Udinese. That alone should get him some attention - after all, he can't be that bad, can he? So if Rafa Benítez puts him on the bench, perhaps those in the market for a right wing-back will only remember his previous life, rather than the performances he's been putting in for Napoli this season.
And, to be fair, Armero likely could be a solid addition to another club - one that wants to move him up from righ back, that is. The majority of his problems are likely stemming from being forced to play at right back, where he's caught out positionally more often than not.
Alas, the current rumor is that Juventus are interested in a swap, sending Federico Peluso to Napoli in exchange for Armero (apparently they don't have enough ex-Udinese players? Are they collecting them?) While Peluso is technically a left-back, he's played at wing-back enough under Antonio Conte to make me not trust him at the back.
With Camilo Zúñiga set to return soon - that's all we know right now, "soon" - it's likely Napoli can get by until summer with a Peluso swap. Then again, we'd likely be able to make it through until summer while keeping Armero, too. Going to Juventus won't help him get games ahead of the World Cup, and really, isn't it best just to stay away from deals the bianconeri might be proposing?
