Christian Maggio signs new three-year contract to stay at Napoli

Earlier on Wednesday, Aurelio De Laurentiis told the media that Christian Maggio, out of contract at the end of the season, has been given and signed a new three-year contract that will keep him at the club, likely for the remainder of his playing career.

Maggio, 33, has been wearing down and isn't the same player he was when he joined the club in 2008. He shouldn't be relied upon as a regular starter at right back at any point over the next three seasons, but his experience can still be valuable as long as his role is managed correctly. As a cup starter and backup, he can serve as something of a player-coach, but Napoli need to find themselves a new starter at right back even with Maggio's future assured.

It's hard to find anything particularly objectionable about the deal, unless he got a crazy wage hike of some kind. Maggio's value on the field is waning, but he still has a lot to offer Napoli. It's good that he wanted to stay and give them that value instead of going for more guaranteed playing time elsewhere, showing the fans just how much they and the city have come to mean to him in the last seven years. He's been a wonderful servant to the club, and letting him go out on his own terms is a nice reward for all he's done.