sport news ALVISE CAGNAZZO: Napoli will be very relieved they didn't sign Cristiano ... trends now

Wherever Cristiano Ronaldo goes, he expects the team to fall in line. It's a trait that has made the Portuguese forward both one of the greatest footballers in history and one of biggest transfer risks for potential suitors in January.

With his reputation at Manchester United well and truly tarnished following this week's explosive bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, a handful of new destinations have been speculated, with Serie A leaders Napoli being one of them.

Talks breaking down this summer between Ronaldo and Aurelio De Laurentiis' team has been a blessing in disguise for the Italian side, who sit undefeated at the summit of the league after chalking up 41 points in 15 games.

Napoli, who have not won the Italian title since the days of Diego Maradona, were no doubt tempted to lure yet another world class superstar to their ranks, but Luciano Spalletti's side seem to have profited more from a fully committed team approach.

Fans need only look at the impact Ronaldo had on Juventus. His self-centred eagerness to be the main man in Turin hampered their team ethos as a result, and Juventus seem to be experiencing the hangover to this day.

As an example, set-piece maestro Miralem Pjanic was forced to stop taking free-kicks upon the Portuguese forward's arrival and ultimately chose to leave Juventus.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo ended up recording his longest series of free-kicks without a goal, striking 72 wayward efforts before finding the net.

Napoli are a well-oiled machine, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It hasn't work out for Ronaldo in his second spell at United, and in many ways Spalletti shares a similar philosophy to Erik ten Hag, who succeeded in transforming Ajax into a slick and well-drilled outfit before arriving in Manchester.  

Ronaldo has always

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