This is how Italian journalists see the transformation of Chucky Lozano after a bad season in Naples
Hirving Lozano is the star of Naples of Italy. The ‘Chucky’ has shone so far in the 2020-21 season due to his good performances and has been the soul of the team and the key man in Gennaro Gattuso’s scheme.
The Mexican striker suffered his first season; but, after a tricky year in the boot country, Lozano had his metamorphosis and pulled out what ‘Rino’ had been looking for since his arrival. Now, with goals and assists, the Aztec team seems to be repaying the more than 40 million euros they paid for him in the summer of 2019.
The ‘Chucky’, 25, has already scored in all three competitions of Naples and is the team’s top scorer in Serie A with seven goals, in addition to three assists. In the Europa League he added one more goal and in the Coppa Italia he already scored on one occasion and added one pass for goal.
For this reason, in ESPN Digital we are looking for Italian journalists to offer their opinion on how Mexican is perceived in Calcium and the transformation it has undergone in a year and a half.
Maurizio Nicita-Gazzetta dello Sport
Lozano was the best news of the start of the season, no one expected him to score a double and become the team’s top scorer.
Unfortunately he plays without an audience and there is no enthusiasm, but on social media, the behavior of the fans with the ‘Chucky’ changed completely.
Lozano is important to the Napoli game because it gives him depth and speed of maneuver.
Today the ‘Chucky’ has found its real clear market. I think he and his family are now happy in Naples.
Salvatore Malfitano-Gianluca Di Marzio
He has given many answers this season after the transfer of 40 million euros. He is the best striker in Naples and has a positive attitude, that is the difference.
Lozano is very acclaimed by Neapolitan fans. He has grown in staff while the team has not. There are tactical issues that Gattuso has not resolved.
He is the best player at the moment, his goals are important considering they are not Osimhen and Mertens. If he keeps scoring like that, it could be what Salah is for Liverpool.
Last year, the answer is that it was not worth what they paid for it. He looked frightened in the field. Gattuso did a great job with him. Gradually its development has been better and now Lozano is one of the best elements of Naples.
Gennaro Arpaia-The morning
Lozano’s good things came from the end of last season after Serie A returned to activity. We had a change from Hirving’s march to the track. He has had to wait and it was a first year of adaptation, but that is understandable. It was a very rare year for Napoli in the past. This season was presented to the maximum and also the gap of Callejón was important because it has no direct rival on the court and can play quietly.
The fans are happy because in the end they see a Lozano who convinces, who plays and scores goals. He has scored nine in all competitions and they are important because he is not a center forward, but he is a good amount. Naples is happy with him.
I think it’s important for the club now. Gattuso and Ancelotti said it because I think a footballer who cost more than 40 million euros in the market, must be important. He may be a protagonist of this Napoli and I hope he continues in this way, but Napoli does not have a good time as a team and must improve their results. Lozano is one of the few good news this season.
I don’t know if a footballer is worth 40 million or not, but I can say it was a major investment, the most important up to Osimhen last summer and they expected a lot from him. It is now proving that it can be important. I don’t think millions can tell if a footballer is good or not. But now the 40 million is worth what Napoli expected when they bought it.
Marco Azzi-The Republic
Hirving Lozano finally landed on the planet Naples and stopped behaving like an alien, on and off the field. Now he speaks Italian, socializes with his teammates and most of all, talks to his coach after coming out of the dark corner where he was locked up for a whole season, a little for him and a little because of the poor reception he he had inside the locker room.
The farewell of a veteran like Callejón freed a place on the right side and made it clear to Gattuso that he was the right man to pick up the heavy legacy of the Spaniard. Now the Mexican has joined the group and has benefited from the purchase of Osimhen, on which have moved the expectations and attention of his teammates, as well as those of the fans.
The Chucky does not look like a star and without having an extra weight on his shoulders he ran again as in the good days of PSV making it clear with goals and assists his level.
Lozano arrived with the label of 40 million and entered competition with the captain and leader of the group, Lorenzo Insigne. Chucky’s high salary aroused the envy of the group’s veterans and the newcomer had found himself isolated in training, matches and even in his private life. With a value of 40 million, he has time to prove that everything is worth it.