Napoli president reveals club has turned down bid for Jorginho from Manchester City

Sport360 staff 16:51 02/06/2018
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  • Chelsea-bound? Jorginho.

    Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis confirmed that the club has turned down a bid from Manchester City for star midfielder Jorginho.

    The Brazil-born Italy international has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League champions after a stunning season with Napoli.

    City manager Pep Guardiola has earmarked 26-year-old Jorginho as a long-term replacement for compatriot Fernadinho in the centre of the pitch, with the Brazilian having just turned 33.

    “I have turned down €45m plus €5m in bonuses from City for Jorginho,” De Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport, adding that the Italian is not guaranteed to leave the club this summer.

    He also revealed that the Partenopei have beaten out AC Milan and West Ham, among others, for the signature of Bologna forward Simone Verdi.

    Meanwhile, Napoli will not stand in the way of Marek Hamsik if the club captain wishes to move to China.

    “If Hamsik wants to go to China, we won’t stop him,” De Laurentiis said.

    “But how much would they give him?”

    The club president also hailed the hiring of Carlo Ancelotti as the first-team coach, with the former Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG, and Bayern Munich boss having been appointed to replace Maurizio Sarri.

    “Carlo is the key to the internationalisation of Napoli. He wants to keep 80 per cent of the current squad, he considers it to be of a great level.

    “Our targets are a goalkeeper, a full-back, a central midfielder and a winger.

    “From 10-31 July Carlo will be able to assess the squad and make some decisions. Then, on 4 August we are in Dublin to play Liverpool and we will see his first Napoli team.”

    De Laurentiis hit back at criticism for failing to spend enough to win the Serie A title for the first time since 1990, after Napoli were beaten by Juventus this season despite a historically good campaign.

    “You said I didn’t want to win? This year, I have lost €15m when in the previous 13-14 years we have hardly ever registered a loss.”

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