Former Napoli defender and New Chelsea signing Kalidou Koulibaly and Cameroon midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa missed out on six Napoli games while they were away on international duty in January and February during the AFCON competitions. Napoli's owner has now said that he will give up on African signings if they will continue playing in the AFCON tournament. "Enough of African players or they should give up playing in the African Cup of Nations. I won't be buying them anymore for this reason," said De Laurentiis, the club owner. Koulibaly and Zambo Anguissa missed Napoli's 1-1 draw with Juventus in early January and the Coppa Italia defeat by Fiorentina, but the club then managed four league wins in their absence. Senegal then went ahead to win the AFCON to spark celebrations in the West African Country but Cameroon bowed out in the semis stage of the competition. The timing of the Nations Cup - traditionally played in January and February - has led to repeated disputes with Europen clubs who are forced to release players in the middle of the season.

Napoli have won only two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990 when they had the Argentina great Diego Maradona in their squad. The owner of the club was complaining that the club pays wages to African players only for them to go to play elsewhere in the middle of the league. "We pay the salaries to send them around to play elsewhere in the middle of the league championship," the 73-year-old added. He suggested that if he is to sign the African players, they must accept to take a waiver in their wages when they go to play the AFCON and even when the South American players go to play the Copa America. The current rules of the world governing body Fifa stipulate that players must be released for the Nations Cup despite its mid-season timing in Europe. The next edition of the Nations Cup will be held in January and February 2024 in Ivory Coast, having been moved from the initial dates of June to July because of weather concerns. 

Napoli still has three Africans in their books despite the departure of Koulibaly.  They now have completed a permanent deal with Zambo Angusia from Fulham. Their biggest star are record signing Victor Osimhen from Nigeria who missed the continental showpiece in Cameroon due to an injury. Adam Ounas from Algeria is the other African player although the injury may have limited him to only playing a few games last season. The concerns that the Napoli owner has raised might force the CAF which is the African football governing body to move the AFCON tournament at a conducive time when players are not on club duty.