Gio Simeone opens up about being under the shadow of his father, Diego

Argentina international scored 17 goals and provided six assists in 35 Serie A games last season as he became a priority transfer target for

. The Serie A giants finally reached an agreement with Hellas Verona for the transfer of

on a one-season long loan deal with an obligation to buy for €12m next summer.

Simeone started his Napoli career in fine shape as he scored his first Champions League goal in the 4-1 win over

Liverpool

and scored the winner against

Milan

last week.

The Napoli striker told

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“It’s good, with my feet on the ground. This thing of being at the top in both the league and the Champions League only makes you want to continue like this, aware that this is the right path.

“We’re calm and the idea of always having to improve gives us even more strength.”

About his relationship with his father,

, the Argentine said:

“It was more difficult, heavier. At the beginning they always point at you as the son of…. I feel the weight of it, the shadow of my father who always did more, the eyes on me of people who allude to favours.

“It takes twice as much to get here, and that goes for all the kids who have their dad doing their job. My father messages me every day, but once he left me a note saying ‘love the goal, it’s the most beautiful thing’. But he’s not my coach, he’s my father.

“And his phone calls, his advice for everyday life, they are the words spoken to a son. They are not the phrases of a coach, they are not technical suggestions. We talk about our lives, him in Madrid, me now in Napoli.”

On his feelings about being nicknamed ‘Cholito’, Diego Simeone’s son said:

“I like being called that. At the beginning the reference to my dad was obvious. But now the Cholito is me, I’m not just Cholo’s son when I go on the pitch and play.”

Hailing

Napoli's

squad, the 27-year-old striker added:

“Jack and I are the latest arrivals and we have found a squad that’s already very solid and compact, who have shown great desire.

“And this will is always the basic condition to be able to achieve the results we have achieved in these first weeks. Then, you know, it’s always the results that give value to things.”

“Of Osi it’s hard to copy his speed and his finishing in speed, he has an incomparable running shot. And of Jack I adore his creativity, his stops, his touches, his elegance. I never give up.

“Not even for a second in a training session. Every day. I’ve always worked to get here, who knows what special qualities one thinks one must have. No, there’s work, just that.”

Praising his new coach

Luciano Spaletti,

Simeone said:

“He’s someone who studies everything about a player, both as a person and as a player. He watches every movement you make, he’s attentive, he works to put you in a position to give your best at all times.

“He doesn’t think about the individual, he thinks about the team, about what the individual can give to the team. That is the thing that matters most.”

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