Exequiel Zeballos: From Napoli Dreams to Monza Reality
Exequiel Zeballos stepped off the plane in Milan knowing he could easily have been landing in Naples instead.
A few weeks ago, the Boca Juniors forward had been on the brink of joining Napoli, personal terms agreed and a move seemingly lined up. Then Boca said no. The Italian club’s offer, around €10m plus add-ons, never convinced the Argentinians enough to sell.
So deadline day took a sharp turn. Instead of the noise and spotlight of Napoli, Zeballos signed for Monza, a quieter but ambitious corner of Serie A.
From almost Napoli to Monza
With his contract at Boca Juniors due to expire on December 31, the expectation was clear: Europe was coming, and soon. The surprise was the destination.
Monza struck a deal believed to be in the region of €4m, but only for 60 per cent of the player’s rights. Boca Juniors keep 40 per cent of any future sale, a clear sign they still see value in the 24-year-old’s trajectory.
Zeballos arrived in Italy and immediately faced the cameras at Milan airport.
"It all happened so fast, I will speak with coach Ivan Juric today," he said, still processing the pace of the move.
He didn’t hide the emotional pull behind his choice of country either.
"I wanted to come to Italy because my father's idol is Maradona."
For an Argentine attacker, those words carry weight. Napoli might have been the romantic fit, but Italy itself was always the target.
Paredes, advice and a different path
Inside the Boca dressing room, Zeballos had another European reference point. Leandro Paredes, who knows Serie A through spells at Roma and Juventus, played a quiet but important role.
"It's true, Paredes gave me a lot of advice, especially when we were talking about Napoli," Zeballos admitted.
The move to Naples never materialised, yet that guidance still frames his leap to Italy. The league is the same, the colours different, the challenge no less serious.
What Monza are getting
Zeballos arrives as a wide attacking option, comfortable on either flank. He leaves Boca Juniors with 140 competitive appearances, 16 goals and 16 assists – numbers that don’t scream superstardom but hint at versatility and a steady end product.
For Monza, this is a calculated swing: a player approaching his prime, carrying Copa Libertadores experience, hungry to prove he belonged at the level of clubs like Napoli that courted him but didn’t get him.
For Boca, it is a compromise. Less money now, but a sizeable 40 per cent stake if Zeballos explodes in Europe.
The next chapter starts under Ivan Juric, far from the Maradona mural in Naples, yet still in the country that shaped his father’s idol. Now it’s on Zeballos to see how far that shared dream can carry him in Serie A.
