Hamšík staying for now. “Unusual,” says expert

The transfer window in China closes on February 28, just two days before the new season kicks off. That means there are still twenty full days left for Marek Hamšík’s move from Napoli to Chinese club Dalian Yifang to go through.

On Wednesday evening, Napoli officially put the transfer of their long-time captain on hold. In a statement on the club’s Twitter account, they cited disagreements over the payment structure as the reason. According to Italian media, the two sides had agreed on a fee of €18 million, plus another €2 million in bonuses. However, the Chinese club reportedly now prefers a six-month loan with an option to buy, while Napoli insists on a direct sale.

“It’s common for clubs to disagree on the terms of a transfer, but what’s unusual here is that the move was essentially presented as done, and now that no longer applies,” commented sports lawyer and agent Jozef Tokos. “I don’t know the exact details of the negotiations, so I won’t speculate. But in general, there are many ways to structure a transfer. A club might propose an arrangement like this — a half-year loan first — but in the case of a player of Hamšík’s caliber, a club legend and national team pillar, that’s not standard. Such loans are typically used for young, lesser-known players, or those returning from long-term injury needing to prove fitness. That’s not the case here. Other factors may be at play — often financial rather than sporting.” (...)

This time, it was Napoli that made things public. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti stated the club was in talks about Hamšík’s departure. “The club has immense respect for him because of what he’s done here. He wants to move on, and we want him to be happy, so we’ll let him go,” Ancelotti said.

Club president and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis echoed this sentiment, thanking Hamšík for his years of service. “If he ever wants to return, there will always be a place for him in Naples.” That’s why the breakdown in agreement between the clubs has come as a surprise. “Complications have come up, but this kind of thing shouldn’t happen at a club like Napoli, especially with a player of Hamšík’s stature,” said Tokos. “Sometimes leaks are used intentionally in business, including sports, but in this case, the club probably should have handled things differently. I hope everything will work out in a way that benefits Marek and the Slovak national team.”

Former Slovak national team coach Ján Kocian, the first to give Hamšík a chance in international football, remains the only Slovak to have coached a top-tier Chinese team. In 2011, he managed Jiangsu Sainty. “I remember that even back then, negotiations weren’t simple,” he recalled. “We met in Frankfurt. The Chinese club sent five representatives. We talked for several days — about training methods, building the squad, transfers, and so on. Now it’s mostly about the money the Chinese have to pay the Italian club. My case wasn’t as complicated as this one.”