Slovakia may not be teeming with top class talent when it comes to the world of sport, let alone football, but the central European nation made waves at the 2010 World Cup as they made it to the last 16 at the expense of 2006 champions Italy.

It was their first appearance at a World Cup finals as an independent nation and it will live long in the Slovakian fans’ memories for their 3-2 victory over Italy.

677231

The driving force at the heart of their impressive qualifying campaign and group progression came from the 23-year-old playmaker Marek Hamsik, who also captained the team despite being one of the younger members of the squad.

Hamsik has since carried his good form over into this season with his Serie A club Napoli who have had an incredible season, currently occupying third place ahead of such esteemed names as Roma, Juventus and Lazio.

Champions League football is virtually assured next season for the club who once boasted the genius of Diego Maradona and saw Gianfranco Zola grace the pitch in the early stages of his career.

Napoli’s glory days coincided with Maradona’s tenure at the club, but with star strikers Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi playing ahead of Hamsik they could soon be catching up with the two Milanese clubs in the hunt for the Scudetto.

However, the talismanic attacking midfielder has caught the attention of several top European sides with his all-action displays both domestically and on the international scene, where he has scored eight goals in 45 appearances.

With Chelsea’s midfield looking decidedly stretched at times this season due to long-term injuries to Frank Lampard and Yossi Benayoun, the Blues may well be looking to broaden their creative options by making a bid for the young Slovakian.

Having scored a respectable 13 goals in his 42 starts this season; he is his team’s second highest scorer behind Cavani and has also donned the club captain’s armband.

Hamsik has received the remarkable accolade of being the first non-Italian to win the Serie A young player of the year award in 2008, having finished as Napoli’s top scorer two seasons in a row after joining in 2007.

The midfielder might not come cheap though, having apparently signed a lucrative five-year contract 18 months ago.

Chelsea may be prepared to fork out the extra money on a couple of quality young players to take the pressure off some of the veterans already at the club and to fill gaps if any of the current squad move on in the summer.

With both Manchester City and Manchester United also supposedly vying for the services of Hamsik, the Napoli hierarchy may decide it is time to cash in on one of their prize assets. This would allow them to put the funds towards acquiring some strength in depth ready for their Champions League adventure next season.

Wherever he plays next season, the name of Marek Hamsik should become more familiar across Europe as he continues to delight football fans with his dazzling displays.

By Joshua Block for Clean Sheets All Round

Loading ...