Henrique convinced to stay with Napoli by promise of playing time

Earlier in the week, it looked nearly inevitable that Henrique would leave Napoli, whether it was for Villarreal in Spain or somewhere back in his home country of Brazil. Then on Friday, out of nowhere, his agent said he was staying put. How did that happen?

Apparently, that happened because Rafa Benitez promised Henrique a "larger role" in the side moving forward. What exactly that role will encompass is a bit of a mystery -- he's played just ten times this season, even with how crowded Napoli's fixture list got at times in the fall.

With the Coppa Italia kicking in to gear and the Europa League knockout rounds beckoning, there's certainly going to be plenty of chances to rotate Henrique in should Rafa see fit. The question, of course, is whether such a promise is worth it, as Henrique really hasn't been very good this season when called upon. His defensive woes have left Napoli in the lurch on too many occasions this season, and fans shouldn't feel bad if this news makes them feel uneasy.