The name of Lucas Romero is one that has been very familiar to followers of Argentine football for more than a couple of years and according reports in Italy, Napoli have made an approach to Vélez Sarsfield to bring the 21-year-old to Serie A at the end of the season. Discussions are said to have taken place between Romero’s representatives and the Italian club with a paltry figure of €4 million already being touted.

FIFA agent, Andrea Di Lella is the man supposedly tasked with overseeing the possible transfer and he told reporters that negotiations are progressing: “There has already been telephone contact and after that was a meeting with Napoli sporting director, Cristiano Guintoli.”

Romero has long been linked with a switch to Europe after making his Vélez debut as an eighteen year old during the title winning 2012 Torneo Inicial. Since then ‘El Perro’ has racked up well over 80 appearances and his impressive, bustling performances in defensive midfield have not gone unnoticed.

Breaking into the Vélez side at a time when El Fortín were consistently one of the strongest in the Argentine top flight was no easy task but in 2015, Romero has faced a new challenge after the continual sale of their best players has left him as one of the most experienced players in a team filled with youth products. The result has seen Vélez and Romero struggle and perhaps goes someway to explain why the fee being rumoured is a relatively low €4 million.

Given that Romero does not have a european passport and is contracted in Liniers until June 2016, negotiations may not be quite so straight-forward and Vélez will want to maximise their profit from one of the leading academy figures in recent years. If Napoli do indeed manage to close a deal for this fee then it would be a very good piece of business for Aurelio De Laurentiis and his club. The report suggests that a move for Romero would be at the end of the Serie A season rather than in January but the Azzurri may want to wrap up the transfer in advance. After a slow start, Napoli appear to have found form enjoying victories over Juventus and AC Milan in their previous two matches and the capture of one of Argentina’s brightest young talents would be a further boost.

Romero is a pretty all-action defensive midfield player and would seem suited for a switch to Europe even at such a young age. Strong in the tackle but with the energy and passing range to influence play further up the field, the 21-year-old appears to have all the attributes to be a success.