Edinson Cavani: Can Rafael Benitez Keep Star Striker at Napoli?

Rafael Benitez was confirmed as the new Napoli boss mere days ago. Though the Spanish manager will have an interesting squad to pick from next season as he aims to improve on their second-place finish in Serie A, perhaps his biggest initial quest will be to see if he can keep Edinson Cavani at the club.

Benitez finished up the 2012-13 season by winning the Europa League trophy and finishing third in the Premier League in England with Chelsea, where he was interim manager until the end of the campaign. Shortly after the culmination of that season, Napoli confirmed him as their new manager on a two-year deal, as reported by the BBC.

Napoli ended the season in second in Serie A, but they were some nine points off the leaders Juventus in a league where Cavani was the big-name, top-scorer in the top flight.

The Uruguayan netted 29 league goals in 34 games and was six goals clear of his nearest rival, Antonio Di Natale.

So can Benitez, and Napoli, persuade their star striker to remain at the club to fulfill his ambitions amid interest from the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid, as reported by the Mirror?

Cavani's Talents

As one of the top strikers in Europe right now, Cavani's abilities are well known and extensively detailed. All the top clubs would arguably find room for him in their team; the prohibitive element to that happening is his reported £52 million buy-out clause.

Superb in the air and capable of scoring with either foot, Cavani is a real all-round threat in the penalty area. He scored six headers in all during the league season and also netted from seven penalties and a direct free kick.

Physically he also brings real strength in holding the ball up and getting involved in link-up play. He has the stamina to be effective in the latter stages of the game. Indeed, testament to both his own and his team's ability to keep fighting until the end of matches is that he scored 17 of his league goals in the final 30 minutes of games.

Napoli's Ambition and the Glass Ceiling of Serie A

How far does Cavani want to go, and how far can Napoli take him? This might be the biggest and most pertinent question of all. When former boss Walter Mazzarri led the side to second place this season, he declined to extend his contract, stating he had taken the team as far as he could according to ESPN.

Is there truth in his words?

Napoli have not won the Italian top flight since 1990, so even coming second last year was an achievement. Juve won the league at a canter, but both Inter and AC Milan were underwhelming, at least until a late rally from the latter which saw them snatch third.

Both clubs will expect better next season, while Fiorentina continue to impress and grow.

All these challengers to Napoli mean that replicating the relative success of a second-place finish will be hugely difficult—but even managing to do so might not be enough to sate the requirements of Cavani if he wants silverware.

What Rafa Brings to the Table

If Napoli want trophies, they couldn't have found too many more qualified coaches than Rafa Benitez. He's a proven winner with all four major clubs he has been with; even during the disappointing spell at Inter, he managed to win the World Club Cup and the Italian Super Cup.

"

rafa benitez has won 10 trophies in the last 11 years, and was out of work for two of those years.

— Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) May 22, 2013"

He brings a wealth of experience at guiding teams into the latter stages of European competition. Benitez has made the Champions League final twice with Liverpool, the semifinals another occasion and the Europa League semifinals once with the Reds—winning the trophy outright with Chelsea, as he already had done with Valencia.

In addition, and from the point of view of Cavani specifically, he has worked with and gotten the best out of top European forwards such as Fernando Torres, adding tactical elements to their game to go alongside the natural technique already present.

Domestically, Benitez could have something to prove after not tasting success in Serie A with Inter.

Transfer Interest from the Biggest Clubs

Cavani could likely earn far more money on his weekly wage if he moves clubs. The likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City can throw money at targets in the hopes of convincing them to come, as well as of course offering a perennial title challenge.

Napoli challenged this year, but can they sustain that?

At 26 years old, Cavani is certainly not running out of time to make a move to the biggest clubs of all; he could at least give the club and the new boss a year further without fear of losing the interest of his reported suitors.

Another 25-goal season is only going to fuel their ambitions to sign him, not dampen their hopes of doing so.

Cavani's current contract runs up until 2017, so Napoli are definitely in a strong position to hold off any bids which do not meet his release clause. Having said that, it is a rare club which these days will keep hold of star names who want to leave, for fear of diminishing their market value with a poor season.

Benitez can certainly point to his own track record, the fine season Napoli have just had and his starring role in a fine side—but Cavani's future could well be decided by a £1 million-a-month offer from the richest clubs around. And there won't be much that Napoli can do to turn his head away from that.

Follow @karlmatchett

Player data from WhoScored.com and TransferMarkt.co.uk