Napoli are unwilling to offer a proposal in excess of €55 million for Alejandro Garnacho despite Manchester United’s valuation of the 20-year-old winger remaining far higher than this figure.
Tuttosport, an Italian newspaper, claim the Serie A leaders will refuse to “send an improved offer” after setting their “maximum bid to €50m plus €5m add-ons”, as relayed by Football Italia.
The report reveals Napoli officials have informed their Manchester counterparts of this limit after negotiations for Garnacho were reopened between the two clubs this week.
Napoli have already seen an official bid rejected by United, which led the Italian club to enter talks with Borussia Dortmund over a move for Karim Adeyemi as an alternative target to Garnacho. However, the report by Football Italia contends, Adeyemi “dreams of a move to the Premier League next season” and negotiations have been put “on hold” as a result.
This breakdown in talks explains why I Partenopei have reignited a move for Garnacho with the 20-year-old reported to have signalled his willingness to swap Manchester for Naples earlier this month.
As relayed by The Peoples Person, Garnacho reached an “agreement in principle” with Napoli over a five-year deal a few weeks ago. And the youngster is now “ready to put pressure” on United to force through a move.
Manager Antonio Conte is thought to have identified the Argentine starlet as the “number one target” to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in a €70 million move this window – a similar price to the one United are demanding for Garnacho.
The 20-year-old attacker is best deployed on the left-wing in a 4-3-3 formation; the exactly sane as Conte has guided Napoli to the top of the Serie A table with.
By contrast, Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system leaves Garnacho without an obvious home, as he lacks the defensive nous to play as a wingback and the link-up ability to operate as a number ten in the front three. And this uncomfortable fit is believed to have been a driving factor in Garnacho’s openness to leaving United this month.
However, Amorim has been impressed by the Argentinian international’s improved work rate and application since the Portuguese coach dropped the winger for the Manchester Derby in December, along with Marcus Rashford, citing issues with “standards” as the reason.
But while Rashford continues to be omitted from match-day squads by Amorim, Garnacho has been reinstated and is now regularly starting in the attack. Furthermore, in recent games, he has been even deployed more often on his natural left-hand side, suggesting a tactical alteration by Amorim to get the best out of the youngster.
This improved relationship between manager and player, combined with the fact that, so far, United have stood firm over their €70 million of Garnacho, suggests the Argentinian international is closer to sticking than twisting with his future at Old Trafford.
Napoli being unwilling to go higher than a €55 million package for the winger will only strengthen this feeling amongst United executives.
Featured image by Gareth Copley via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
