News of a torn ACL to Faouzi Ghoulam will most certainly affect Napoli’s bid to win the Scudetto this season. However, his club is not the only one that will feel the repercussions of the catastrophic injury.

 

Just last week, it was reported that the defender – whose contract is set to expire in June – was prepared to sign an extension to remain at the São Paolo until 2022. However, when he tore his ligament Tuesday night, that plan became a serious question.

 

Now, Manchester City and Liverpool, teams interested in acquiring his services, have a whole new line of questions to answer and decisions to make.

 

Ghoulam will miss a minimum of four months, which extends past the January transfer window. Both Premier League clubs will now have to partake in a sort of “Prisoner’s Dilemma.” That is, do those teams want to pay Napoli for his exclusive rights in January (despite his health), or do they want to take the risk of letting his contract expire (if Napoli allows it) so they can pick him much cheaper as a free agent.

 

The maneuvering between the three clubs will certainly be something to keep an eye on in the coming months.