Napoli have Serie A's third-highest wage bill despite quiet window

Anyone who went looking for Inter-Napoli on Rai on Saturday night had the wrong channel: the 3-2 at San Siro, like every Serie A fixture, was shown only on DAZN and Sky. The number worth talking about is a different one, and it again puts Napoli next to Inter, this time off the pitch — the 2026-27 wage bill, where Napoli are confirmed as Serie A's third force.

Third on the podium, not far from the top

The figure carries extra weight given how Napoli's window just closed, on Tuesday 1 September at 20:00: no permanent signings, a loan move for Gatti from Juventus that fell through, and a €20m bid for Sara rejected by Galatasaray. The one significant move affecting the wage bill was an exit: Romelu Lukaku, sold to Fenerbahçe, left Napoli taking the squad's highest salary with him. Even after that cut, the wage bill still ranks third in Italy.

It is the contrast fuelling frustration among a fanbase already unhappy with the transfer business: a third-place wage bill did not stop Saturday's defeat at San Siro, Napoli's second loss in three games following the home defeat to Como, leaving the club on 3 points and 13th in the table. Inter, who spend more on wages than anyone else in Italy, are also the side that just came back from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2. Spending on wages is not the same as spending in the transfer market: this summer's net spend remains negative at €47.5m, but that reflects the accounting weight of past deals rather than new arrivals.

The next transfer window does not reopen until Saturday 2 January 2027. Until then, Allegri's side have to make do with the squad they already have, starting Wednesday 9 September, when Arsenal visit the Maradona at 21:00 CET for the opening matchday of the Champions League league phase.