Luigi Sepe closing on new Napoli contract

It's not a move that will grab big headlines, but for Napoli, it's still a very important one: Luigi Sepe appears to be set to sign a contract extension with Napoli, tying him to his home club until 2019.

The 23 year old goalkeeper is on loan at Empoli, where he's been enjoying a very good season in his first taste of Serie A football. In fifteen matches this season, Sepe has given up just thirteen goals and kept six clean sheets. He's been a huge part of Empoli's ability to stay out of the relegation zone this season, and if their attack wasn't so toothless they'd almost certainly be much higher up the table than they are.

Sepe has been a part of Napoli's setup since he was a youth player, and has spent the last three and a half seasons out on loan getting first-team experience. He's taken a massive step forward this year, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, getting him locked up was a priority for Riccardo Bigon and his staff.

While it's unlikely that Sepe unseats Rafael Cabral as Napoli's starting goalkeeper next season, he can almost certainly give the club an improvement as his backup over what Mariano Andujar offers. He'll also be a big help for Napoli in terms of roster rules, helping meet the Italy-trained player quota being put in place in Serie A starting next season, as well as counting as a club-trained player for Champions League and Europa League regulations.

Hopefully Sepe enjoys a long and successful career with Napoli. It's always wonderful to see the local kids make an impact.