Chelsea midfielder Christian Pulisic and compatriot Taylor Booth of Utrecht are on the radar of Italian champions Napoli.
The Serie A club’s president, film producer Aurelio de Laurentiis, wants to add Americans to his squad not just for sporting reasons but to open up commercial opportunities.
Pulisic is available this window as he has one year left on contract and has grown frustrated with his lack of regular starts.
Manchester United and Newcastle showed interest in the USA captain in January but this summer Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli have been making tentative enquiries.
Chelsea could yet look to use the 24-year old in swap deals with the likes of Victor Osimhen among their targets.
Booth, who has also been followed closely by Erik ten Hag at Manchester United this season, has been earning rave reviews in the Dutch league with Utrecht.
The 21-year old, formerly with Bayern Munich has been excelling in an attacking midfield role and was named Eredivisie player of the month in November.
Napoli president De Laurentiis, talking to La Repubblica, said: ‘I would like to add more players. I would like to have an American because in America even if the league is worth little there are great players who shine in the national team.
‘And then a Japanese, already having a Korean in the team since there is a great development of our football in the East and there are new names to consider.’
