Napoli bets on Tati, the new Yoro Presto for defence
Napoli under Massimiliano Allegri is looking to France to strengthen the defence, with its eye on Tylel Tati, a 2008‑born centre‑back of Nantes, already compared to the young Leny Yoro for his imposing stature close to two metres and his speed.
Tati's meteoric rise
Born in Champigny‑sur‑Marne to a Senegalese mother and a Congolese father, he grew up in the youth sector of the Canaries, standing out for an imposing physical build, close to two metres tall, combined with speed and good technical qualities. These attributes have already earned him a comparison in France with Leny Yoro, another very young centre‑back who burst onto the trans‑Alpine league.
His rise began in the summer of 2025, when he was added to Nantes’ first team during the pre‑season camp. A few friendlies convinced the coaching staff to slot him straight into the starting eleven. On 17 August 2025, at just 17 years old, he made his Ligue 1 debut against Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint‑Germain, fresh from winning six trophies.
The debut came before he signed his first professional contract. From that moment he became a defensive cornerstone, ending the season with more than twenty starts in league and cup.
Despite Nantes’ relegation, he won the Golden Kid Pro 2026, an award reserved for the best newcomer in French professional football. Last April the club also secured his talent with a contract extension until 2030.
The 2026/27 season was more complicated: staying at Nantes in Ligue 2, he logged only two appearances, initially left out of the rotation for tactical reasons. He was then sidelined by a meniscus injury, treated with the national team. The defender has already represented France from the Under‑16 to the Under‑19 level and is still working to recover from the injury.
Napoli is closely monitoring Tati’s development, considering his physicality, speed and growth potential an interesting profile for the blue‑back line. However, his physical condition remains a factor to assess ahead of the January market.