Napoli have confirmed the signing of highly-rated Empoli defender Lorenzo Tonelli, as the Serie A runners-up look ahead to a fresh assault on the Italian league title next season.

Tonelli had undergone a medical with the Partenopei last week but it took until Monday for Napoli club owner and president Aurelio De Laurentiis to end the speculation.

On the Napoli website, De Laurentiis was pictured alongside Tonelli and the 26-year-old's freshly-signed contract, although Napoli did not reveal details of the deal.

A brief statement said: "Napoli have signed Lorenzo Tonelli on a permanent contract."

Tonelli's performances for Empoli this season initially earned him a call-up to a preliminary Italy squad for Euro 2016, although he was not included when coach Antonio Conte named a more definitive 30-man squad for the June 10-July 10 event on Monday.

Napoli finished the Serie A season nine points behind 32-times champions Juventus after a campaign that raised hopes of a first Scudetto in 26 years.