Alejandro Garnacho is reportedly one of two Manchester-based attackers on Napoli’s radar with the young winger destined to leave Old Trafford this summer.
The Serie A champions have £45m to splash on either Garnacho or Manchester City’s Jack Grealish but will not sign both, according to The Sun.
The report claims that Napoli would prefer to sign the Englishman but do accept that Garnacho would be “a better investment” given that he is nine years younger.
Their chances of signing United’s wantaway winger seem slim at best if their budget only stretches to £45m, with the Red Devils thought to be demanding £70m for the player.
And as reported earlier this week the 20-year-old is determined to remain in England, with Fabrizio Romano claiming a Premier League stay is his “priority”.
All of this spells bad news for Napoli, whose last transfer dealings with United secured them the services of Scott McTominay.
The powerful Scot propelled the club to the league title, and manager Antonio Conte would be hopeful that any recruitment this summer boosts his squad to defend the trophy next season.
Given the stances of both United and Garnacho, it seems unlikely that the Argentina international will be reunited with McTominay come the end of the transfer window.
If The Sun’s report is to be believed then it’s Grealish, England’s first £100m player, who will be arriving at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona instead.
When Garnacho was first put on the market in the January transfer window Napoli seemed early favourites to sign him and even made a formal bid which was rejected.
Ultimately he stayed at Old Trafford, where he featured heavily for Ruben Amorim before falling out of favour and starting on the bench for the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, after which he was told he could look for a new club.
Given his preference to remain in the Premier League, there is every chance Chelsea – who have also been interested in the player since January – could be his next employer.
Speculation that this move could happen was fuelled by manager Enzo Maresca’s comments that the Blues are targeting a winger this summer. Arsenal and Aston Villa have also been linked with a move for the young winger.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
