Napoli boss won't sign Africans unless they skip African Cup

FILE Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Sasssuolo, at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, April 30, 2022. AP

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says his club will not sign African players anymore unless they agree not to play in the African Cup of Nations.

The tournament takes place every two years and normally runs for a month from early January, midway through the season of Europe's top leagues - apart from in 2019, when it was held from June to July for the first and so far only time.