Ten million are at stake to reach an agreement with United. Manna had lunch with the Lecce winger’s agents
Neighbors. Not yet enough to hug and toast. But still enough to be able to start thinking about a positive epilogue. The sky is blue above Milan and yesterday’s blitz by sporting director Giovanni Manna brought at least a breath of optimism in the hunt for post Kvaratskhelia. Now there are ten million that separate Napoli from Alejandro Garnacho. Little, very little if we think about the starting point, the first – crazy, 80 million – request from Manchester United and the sensations that filtered through Castel Volturno after the first polls. Manchester has lowered its demands to 65 million euros. And Aurelio De Laurentiis has given his sporting director the mandate to raise the Italian team’s offer to 55, bonuses included. We still need time, we need a further effort between the parties to quickly close the deal (at 60?) and give Conte a new lethal weapon in the championship race, as well as a smile to all the Neapolitan people. They will be days of intense work, but now that the finish line is starting to take shape on the horizon, Garnacho has stopped being a transfer dream for Napoli, turning into a real possibility.
the summit
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And also opportunities, for goodness sake. Very expensive all things considered, but very precious if we limit ourselves to the purely sporting aspect. The meeting between Manna and Matt Hargreaves – a manager sent by United to Italy to negotiate both Garnacho’s exit and the possible purchase of Dorgu from Lecce – took place in a hotel in the center of Milan. Napoli has shown that they are serious, raising their offer and seeking a substantial discount. A belief that pushed United to reflect and also meet the requests of the player, with whom Napoli has a verbal agreement for a five-year contract at double the current 1.8 million received in Manchester. United did not think of depriving themselves of the Argentine star unless faced with an indispensable offer. And Napoli’s proposal is very close, given that the sum would be all capital gain for the Red Davils, who need to cash in to respect the limits imposed by financial fair play. Well, this was the condition that convinced Napoli to attempt the coup. Manna saw the opportunity and sat down at the gaming table. Without bluffing. Now he’s just waiting for De Laurentiis’s yes for the decisive relaunch.
dorgu affair
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But Manna’s agenda wasn’t just the summit with United. At lunch, the Italian sporting director was caught at the table with the agents Patrick Dorguanother 20-year-old at the top of the wish list for the Napoli to come. The Lecce winger is another request from Conte and the club is trying to satisfy him ahead of next season. The Lecce-United summit ended with black smoke: the English offered 30 million for the immediate purchase on a permanent basis and the proposal was returned to the sender by the Salento club, which has as its first objective that of keeping Dorgu at least until at the end of the season. Of course, the market options are endless and when faced with a crazy offer it would be difficult to say no. But this is not the case, at least not yet. And Napoli has already entered the negotiation, ready to satisfy Lecce’s requests: Manna is ready to buy Dorgu immediately for around 35 million, and then loan him back to the Giallorossi until the end of the season. A move to rout the competition and avoid possible summer auctions. The lunch with the agents was used to start working on the possible signing, while waiting for an official move with Lecce.
watch out for exposure
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In short, it is a wild Napoli that plays on multiple tables to also plan the moves for next summer. Another could be the purchase of Sebastiano Esposito, who Empoli will buy from Inter. Napoli like the player, he is a friend of Lukaku and made his debut in Serie A with Conte’s Inter. Young, quality and Neapolitan: Esposito is a profile in line with the needs of the new Napoli and the relationship with Empoli is excellent. It could also be a last second opportunity in this market, if one of Ngonge or Raspadori were to leave. But it’s better to take it one step at a time. Today Napoli is thinking of Garnacho: the new star with which to attack the Scudetto.
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