After Rafael Benitez signed José Callejón, Raúl Albiol and Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid for a combined fee of €62 million, he built up his ideal Napoli starting line-up. Now that the former Valencia, Liverpool and Chelsea boss has taken the new vacant Real Madrid manager job, will he take his three stars back with him?
The trio and Benitez helped to secure Napoli the Coppa Italia in their first season, as well as a return to the Champions League (although they lost to Athletic Bilbao in the final qualifying round).
The first player he signed was Callejón on July 9th 2013 for €10 million. Callejón has gone on to become a big fans favourite after making 102 appearances and scoring 32 goals in his two seasons in Italy. The 28-year-old found opportunities limited with Madrid so he could have thoughts of unfinished business. Benitez would be ideal way of having another crack.
12 days later Benitez returned to Madrid for another signing, this time securing the signature of centre back Raúl Albiol €12 million. Albiol has been a constant in an ever-changing back four in his two seasons in Naples. He's made just shy of 100 appearances and scored just the one goal, which came as a dramatic equaliser against Chievo Verona.
Under a week after that, Benitez made his largest signing in his time at Napoli; he paid €40 million for the services of Argentine international Gonzalo Higuain. Higuain has scored 53 goals in 102 appearances, meaning he averages more than a goal every two games in a Napoli shirt. 24 goals in his first season and 29 in his second clearly make Higuain Napoli's most important asset.