We're probably looking at him as a cheaper option to make up a group of three right wingers rather than spending big on another marquee signing when we've already got Kulusevski and Kudus. There's also a fair chance one of them isn't fit for the start of the season, and Kulusevski's injury situation complicates any plans to move him on.
The raw numbers don't tell the full story either. He barely played for Napoli and rarely got full matches. From January onwards he produced 7 goal contributions in just 926 minutes. That's actually a strong goal involvement comparable with players like Saka and Semenyo managed last season. I'm not saying he's better than them, but his output rate will be more in the Bowen and Neto bracket from a very small sample size. It'd be interesting to see what those numbers look like over 2,500-3,000 minutes (a season).
He doesn't look like some game-changing superstar. He looks like a promising 23-year-old who has followed the typical Italian development route through Serie C and Serie B, producing good numbers whenever he's had regular football. This feels more like a low-risk signing that either turns into a masterstroke if he keeps progressing, or at worst gives us solid squad depth and competition for Kudus and Kulusevski without breaking the bank.
He can also deputise for Maddison in the No.10 role if we need more creativity. If Maddison is tired, injured, having an off day, or we're chasing a goal, I'd rather have another technical creator available than forcing someone like Gallagher into that position. That's especially relevant while Xavi is out, because he's not going to be back anytime soon.
We also need to be realistic about where the budget is likely to go. We need improvements in multiple areas, and clubs don't usually spend huge money on positions where they're only looking for depth rather than a guaranteed starter. The big investment is more likely to be reserved for a centre-back if Romero leaves, a defensive midfielder, a striker, a left winger and probably a goalkeeper. If that's the case, picking up a talented, versatile attacking player for a sensible fee rather than spending £50-60m on another right winger makes perfect sense.
The Bergvall and Sarr comment aren’t relevant comparisons because they play completely different positions.