Man Utd transfer 'mistake' prompts crisis talks after manager complains

Napoli are poised to hold emergency talks with head coach Antonio Conte after Sunday's disappointing 2-0 loss at Bologna. Second-half strikes from Thijs Dallinga and Jhon Lucumi sealed victory for Bologna, inflicting a third defeat in seven matches on Napoli and preventing them from returning to the top of the Serie A standings.

As well as suffering defeat at Bologna, Conte's squad has also failed to find the net for three consecutive fixtures, drawing blanks against Como and Eintracht Frankfurt. According to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto, Conte is scheduled for direct discussions with the Napoli board as rumours surrounding his future intensify.

Following the Bologna loss, Conte appeared visibly exasperated and delivered scathing assessments of his squad's performance. "Something needs to be done, because I don't want to accompany a dead person, I am the first eventually and take responsibility," the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager said.

"At the first negative situation we broke up, I will also talk to the club about this aspect. I don't see alchemy but everyone thinking about their own problem. Heart transplants aren't possible. Each of us must rediscover the spirit, the heart, the wickedness. Things are done but we have to see how they are done.

"It's one thing to do your homework, it's another to play in a team with very high expectations. Everyone is thinking about their own backyard, I had already seen this and so I want to speak well with the club."

Conte's latest outburst follows his scathing assessment of Napoli's summer recruitment drive as a mistake in the wake of their humiliating 6-2 thrashing at the hands of PSV. The Italian giants brought in nine fresh faces, including Manchester United reject Rasmus Hojlund on a season-long loan deal and Manchester City icon Kevin De Bruyne as a free agent.

"Last year, we won an extraordinary and incredible championship, where everyone pushed their limits with great unity and unity across the board. This year, however, between playing so many games and bringing in so many players," Conte declared in late October.

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"In my opinion, nine new players were too many. We weren't balanced. I've always said this year would be difficult; there are some aspects that need to be absorbed over time."

Hojlund burst out of the blocks in spectacular fashion at Napoli, netting four times in his opening six outings. Yet after drawing a blank in his previous four fixtures - with Gli Azzurri toiling in attack - the striker has faced mounting scrutiny. The 22-year-old's last strike arrived against Genoa at the start of October, whilst his display against Bologna was woefully inadequate.

He failed to register a single effort on target across the entire 90 minutes. Despite the setback, Conte highlighted Hojlund's performance as a silver lining in Napoli's loss to Bologna.

"Maybe he was the best on the pitch for me," Conte expressed. "He held his own, he attacked the depth. Lucumi struggled to keep him. Then if we close the performance on whether or not to score goals then the situation is different.

"We had prepared some things, we should have supported him more. Rasmus managed several balls, we were missing. His game for me was good."