napoli Less than a year ago, €30 million was invested in Jesper Lindstrom, so why was he transferred to Everton after just one season in Serie A?
Everton has finalized the signing of the 24-year-old Danish midfielder, securing him on a €2.5 million loan deal with a €22.5 million buy option, which includes covering his wages for the 2024-25 season.
The Toffees are banking on Lindstrom to inject much-needed creativity into their attack, willing to take a chance despite his underwhelming performance with Napoli, likely recalling his promising tenure with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Prior to his transfer to Italy, Jesper Lindstrom spent two seasons in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he emerged as an exciting talent on the European scene, winning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award for the 2021-22 campaign.
With Eintracht Frankfurt, the Danish playmaker scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists across 80 matches, impressing with his off-the-ball movement, speed, and ability to press opponents.
Despite his slightly lacking first touch, his skill at involving teammates made him an exciting prospect.
Napoli decided to invest €30 million in Lindstrom after their Scudetto success, hoping he could fit well in the new 4-3-3 system under Rudi Garcia. However, things didn’t go as planned in Naples.
In his first 10 Serie A games under Garcia, Lindstrom started once, came off the bench for less than 30 minutes six times, and was left as a substitute three times. This was not an ideal start for the 24-year-old.
Wider issues at Napoli led Aurelio De Laurentiis to sack Garcia in November and bring in Walter Mazzarri. Unfortunately, this change did little to improve Lindstrom’s situation.
Under Mazzarri, Lindstrom didn’t start once in Serie A, mostly appearing off the bench for brief appearances, with his most significant involvement being 31 minutes against Genoa. He continued to struggle amidst the chaos in Campania.
By this point, Napoli had lost faith in Lindstrom, and their third coach of the 2023-24 season, Francesco Calzona, gave him almost no opportunities to prove himself, leaving him benched six times and starting him just once.
It’s clear why Lindstrom failed to impress in his debut season with Napoli. He struggled to settle in as the club dealt with post-Scudetto malaise and barely had a chance to justify his €30 million price tag.
When Lindstrom signed for Napoli in August 2023, he had rejected an approach from Liverpool to move to Italy. In an interview with Tipsbladet at the time, he explained his reasoning, shedding light on his tough year with Napoli.
“It was Liverpool, and I’m a Liverpool supporter, so it would’ve been a madly fascinating experience, but would it have been an intelligent move? If I don’t play, then I may as well sit in front of the TV and watch them play there while I’m at a different club.
I’m at an age now where I have to play football. This is why I think Napoli represent a good change. They’re one of the best clubs in the world, and they said I’ll have many opportunities to play.”
Lindstrom’s transfer to Everton is the perfect opportunity for him to prove himself on the biggest stage. He’s clearly eager to respond on the pitch after being branded a flop at Napoli, who have now started a new project under Antonio Conte.
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