I think the fact that Napoli always quoted 80-90 m and De Laurentis is a proven nut job put a lot of clubs off
The fact that all those clubs were sniffing around proves he has something about him
As you say though at 29 he has one 5 yr contract left and the 80m quoted is a lot of money over 5 years when added to wages
As you said it depends how much Napoli need to balance the books.
Maybe they feel they can get a suitable if not as good replacement for 20 m and will have to accept less than their previously quoted fee
I can see moves happening in the next week , maybe not us but someone may bite if the price is right
PSG have lost Silva and not replaced him yet and even they are not spending
Napoli always fulfilled all of the criteria I would have looked for for a side wanting to move players on. A team without a massiely wealthy owner, with an ageing team and a younger, Italian manager probanly looking to start again. You throw the crisis in, which would have hit the owners primary source of income (film production I believe) and it becomes accelerated.
I think a lot of the comments he has made, while at one level being humourous in the business world appear desperate. The one about people swooping in and stealing their assetts like birds was ridiculous.
Even the Osimhen singing, which surprised me, when you break it down they actually sold 3 or 4 players to Lille for relativly inflated fees as a result. So all ways round, a creative swap deal with inflated values all round, and it gives a bit more context.
I think he is hawking Milik around, following doing the same for Allan and seemingly Koulibaly. For whatever reason there have been nigh biters, at the 72m ish they want.
I don't believe City/United couldn't afford that. But you look at City, they offloaded Ottamendi for 15m, and I am not convinced Napoli would have wanted any part of that deal. I also think, Pep and OGS (more so) probably don't want to work witrh an older player, they both seem to want to improve players of a certain age.
As for Liverpool, I think Klopp would be more open to it, but havign wavered over Thiago's wages all summer, it would be surprising if they want another big earner, on big money at that age of his career (to go alongside Alisson, VVD, Milner, Henderson, Salah, Wijnaldum, AOC, Firmino, Mane etc). I also think with Thiago, they appear to have structured the deal at 5m a year over 4 years in addition to a big settlement of outstanding money at the back end. I doubt Napoli would want that sort of deal, and I am doubtful Liverpool would want to commit to those wages and fee structure. You also have Gomez, who they want to play, and he would stop him.
PSG, who knows? Do they need him? Got to the CL final last year, minimal outlay for a bit and can still walk the French League.
Whether Napoli blink late on, who knows, but an offer of say 45m would put some pressure on, I have no doubt about that.
I am amazed none of the above have gone for him by the way. If City/LIverpool signed him, to me they wrap up the league. If United sign him, they probably move to pushing for the league.
