The newspaper "La Gazzetta dello Sport" announced that Napoli has finalized the deal to sign Dutch defender Sam Boekema, a player from Bologna, to strengthen the defense for the upcoming season, at the request of coach Antonio Conte.

The newspaper stated that the deal was completed for 30 million euros plus bonuses, with the player set to join the Italian league champions' gathering next Tuesday.

Boekema, who is 26 years old, had joined Bologna in the summer of 2023 from AZ Alkmaar for 8 million euros, before deciding to leave this summer despite his club's attempts to persuade him to stay.

The Dutch defender preferred to move to Napoli to take a new step in his career, responding to a clear desire from both him and his agent, thus becoming the first major defensive reinforcement for Conte with the southern team.