The Catanzaro man, who impressed throughout an excellent season in Serie B, is regarded by the Naples club as a long-term successor to captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, though the deal is far from concluded.
Favasuli is attracting significant interest beyond Napoli. In recent days, Fiorentina — who retain a 50% sell-on clause from his permanent move to Catanzaro — Cagliari, Torino and AS Roma have all made concrete enquiries about the player, turning the pursuit into a genuine auction.
Catanzaro, who hold his registration, are demanding around €10m for his services, and Napoli will need to move decisively to see off the growing competition.
Born in Reggio Calabria, Favasuli came through Fiorentina's academy before loan spells at Ternana and Bari, eventually joining Catanzaro on a permanent deal last year. He established himself as one of Serie B's outstanding full-backs last season, contributing goals and assists from the right flank as Catanzaro reached the promotion play-offs, and he capped his rise by earning a senior Italy call-up over the summer under interim coach Silvio Baldini — a remarkable step up for a player who only turned 22 in April.
Napoli's interest is rooted in genuine long-term planning rather than simply squad depth. Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been a fixture at right-back for years, but the club under head coach Massimiliano Allegri are keen to identify and develop his eventual successor rather than wait until his powers begin to fade, and Favasuli's versatility — he has also featured on the left and further forward during his career — only adds to his appeal.
Napoli's sporting director Giovanni Manna has been working on the deal for weeks, and reports suggest a preliminary agreement has already been reached with the player's camp on personal terms, with a long-term contract into 2031 under discussion.
Whether Napoli can convert that understanding into a formal transfer will depend on seeing off the rival interest and agreeing a fee with Catanzaro that both parties can accept, with the Calabrian club holding firm on their valuation for now.