Noa Lang receive unusual signal at Napoli just before Deadline Day

Noa Lang does not look set for a transfer this summer after all. The winger received a clear signal from Napoli shortly before the deadline.

Lang starts on Sunday evening as Napoli face Como. That suggests coach Massimiliano Allegri has faith in the Dutchman and wants him to stay.

Earlier in the day, that felt notable because Fabrizio Romano reported that talks between Ajax and Lang's camp had been "reopened".

"In the past 12 hours, Ajax have made contact again with Noa Lang's representatives and with Napoli. This option has been reopened, in case Napoli decide that Lang can leave," Romano said.

Still, the Italian transfer guru did add an important caveat. "Sometimes one match can make the difference," he said, already referring to Sunday evening's meeting between Como and Napoli.

Ajax now appear to have to turn to other targets, with Napoli keen to keep Lang in the squad. Before the match against Telstar, coach Míchel Sánchez did say a new left winger would arrive in Amsterdam "100 per cent certain".

Earlier, Brian Rodríguez and Arnaut Danjuma were linked with Ajax, but for now it remains unclear how attainable they are.