Chucky Lozano: From transfer flop of the season to Napoli’s top scorer

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 12 Aug 2021 13:57 BST
• 2 min read

Hirving Lozano is enjoying the most remarkable of resurrections in Napoli.

The Mexican star endured a disastrous first season in Campania after signing for a club record €42 million from PSV Eindhoven.

Before the Coronavirus outbreak in March, Lozano seemed almost certain to be heading for the exit door after just one year at Napoli.

He had fallen well down the pecking order, had been sent home by Gennaro Gattuso from training and the club were already looking for potential buyers.

Lozano improved ever so slightly after lockdown but still finished the campaign with a disappointing four goals and one assist for the season.

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Granted a second chance this campaign, Lozano has been a completely different player.

His goal on Sunday in the 4-0 win over Crotone means that he is now Napoli’s top scorer in Serie A in 2020/21.

He has scored five goals from just nine appearances, already surpassing his total from the whole of last season and out-performing his xG by over two goals. He also has made one assist in Serie A.

In addition, he has also found the back of the net once in the Europa League from one start, not to mention a goal for Mexico in their November friendly win versus Japan.

“I don’t care if Hirving Lozano plays on the right or left wing. He has rediscovered himself this season,” Gattuso said at the end of October.

All his key attacking data is improved from last season. He is averaging two shots a game compared to 1.54 last term. He is having 2.4 crosses to 1.67, 1.4 key passes to 0.63, the same number of dribbles (3.2), while he is even averaging more challenges (12 to 10) and tackles (2.4 to 1.23).

Lozano’s form has helped a Napoli team starring the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne into third position in Serie A and primed for an assault on the Scudetto.