Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has reiterated his desire to sign Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho.
De Laurentiis has also aimed a dig at United’s inexplicable “fault” and claiming the want-away winger will “become twice the player” if he leaves Old Trafford.
Gli Azzurri are clearly keeping an eye on the Premier League when planning their summer transfer business, having already raided the blue half of Manchester to pick up playmaker Kevin De Bruyne for free before launching a recent bid for Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.
Now, as they continue to hunt for a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after the Georgian star joined Paris Saint-Germain in January, Napoli appear ready to renew their interest in Garnacho, who they saw a bid of around £40million for rejected during the winter transfer window.
With the relationship between the young Argentine and Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim only deteriorating since then, the Italian club may sense an opportunity to negotiate.
United reportedly value their academy product at north of £50m, and ideally wanted £70m if he was to leave this summer, but may end up accepting less than that if it gets him off their books.
One of several stars to have been temporarily excused from pre-season training by Amorim as they hunt for new clubs, the 21-year-old has also been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks.
And there are rumours that Napoli could be preparing an improved bid of £45m for him, with club owner De Laurentiis speaking highly of Garnacho - and critically of his current employers.
“Garnacho's got pace, flair and potential,” the Italian film producer said. “But that's not even why we want him.”
De Laurentiis continued: "We want him because he's at United. Get him out and he becomes twice the player. There's a fault at United that I can't explain."
Cutting words from the Napoli chief, which come at a curious time if his club are indeed planning to re-enter negotiations with the Old Trafford higher-ups.
But De Laurentiis would no doubt point to Scott McTominay as a prime example of a player who was generally undervalued and underappreciated at United before leaving - to join Napoli last summer - and flourishing, in many eyes becoming “twice the player” as he played a pivotal role in his new club winning the Scudetto while picking up the Serie A ‘Most Valuable Player’ award for his efforts.
A similar narrative, meanwhile, is found with fellow exit-bound United winger Antony, who starred for Real Betis in the second half of last season after securing a short-term loan move in January.
