Like Borussia Dortmund in 2013, Leicester City in 2016, Monaco in 2017 and Ajax in 2018, Napoli have become the latest European hipster club. Gli Azzurri - boasting a 19-point lead at the top of Serie A - are on course to win just their third league title.
Not since the days of Diego Maradona, whose name was immortalised forever when the Stadio San Paolo was renamed in his honour, have the Naples crowd had it so good. It is hard to imagine that, less than two decades ago, the club hit financial ruin and were forced to start again.
A true rags-to-riches story.
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Unfortunately, whenever an outsider upsets the apple cart, the fairytale tends to follow an inevitable ending. European powerhouses will be waiting like vultures to pounce on their highly-coveted stars.
Napoli have splashed the cash while supplementing their spending with several shrewd additions. For every Victor Osimhen, who cost a reported €70milion from Lille in 2020, there is a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the 22-year-old winger signed for €10million last summer - and now tipped for greatness.
Another is South Korean superstar Kim Min-Jae. Like Newcastle United, defensive stability has formed the bedrock of Napoli’s success this season.
Both clubs boast the best defensive record in their respective leagues and any calls for a backline overhaul would appear futile. However, should the Magpies secure Champions League football, Toon chiefs should do all they can to secure the 26-year-old.
His manager, Luciano Spalletti, has already declared Min-Jae as the world’s best. He said earlier this year: "Kim does at least 20 incredible things per game.
"For me, he truly is the best centre-back in the world. When he starts the run with the ball at his feet, he can get it into the opposition penalty area in five seconds flat."
A meteoric rise has resulted in Min-jae coming from nowhere to emerge as a leading, world-class defender. At 24, he was still plying his trade in the Chinese League for Beijing Guoan. Just like his current club, Min-Jae has experienced a sharp ascent to the summit of European football.
Numerous reports claim the centre-back - due to a release clause - could be available for £40million on July 1. If this is the case, Newcastle must stump up the cash to sign the perfect Sven Botman partner.
Fabian Schar has enjoyed a renaissance under Eddie Howe but he turns 32 in December. The Swiss international is by no means done on Tyneside but Dan Ashworth and co will be preparing for the future.
With Jamaal Lascelles possibly heading for the exit door, the Magpies will likely be in the market for a centre-back. While Botman has plenty of bite to his game, his typical Dutch coolness would be complemented by Min-Jae’s nasty, dark-arts style of defending. At 6ft 5in and 6ft 4in, few Premier League strikers are going to be fancying their chances against the pair.
Min-Jae has averaged 1.66 tackles per 90 minutes in Serie A this season and won 66 percent of his aerial duels - but adventurous attacking stats may also come as a surprise. The South Korean, from defence, has performed 1.11 shot-creating passes per game in 2022-23.
Playing out from the back is the Howe way and it appears Min-Jae fits the bill. It is easy to get sentimental towards those who have helped the Magpies rise from the abyss over the last 18 months but, if they are to become top-flight powerhouses, more signings akin to Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak must arrive this summer.
Champions League football likely holds the key to snatching Min-Jae et al but, as was proven by the Botman and AC Milan saga last year, Newcastle can still entice top talent without. Pairing the two together could propel United to new heights on their quest for Premier League dominance.
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