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Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent has reportedly approached Italian heavyweights Napoli, proposing a transfer for the Portuguese superstar who is desperate to depart Manchester United.
Meanwhile, the club has had a massive $130m bid rejected before the player involved, Ajax’s Antony, broke his silence in a bombshell interview.
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Napoli will feature in this season’s Champions League against United’s bitter rivals Liverpool, Rangers, and Dutch champions Ajax.
Ronaldo is keen to play in Europe’s top competition, while the Red Devils will only compete in the second-tier Europa League after finishing a dismal sixth in the Premier League last time out – despite the striker’s 18 league goals.
Having been rebuffed by top clubs across Europe, Ronaldo’s renowned agent Jorge Mendes has reached out to Napoli (per Sky Italy) as the transfer window reaches its final days, hoping to instigate a swap deal which will see Napoli’s Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has attracted plenty of interest from Premier League giants including United, Chelsea, and Arsenal prior to their recent signing of Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City.
The 23-year-old signed for Napoli in 2020 from Lille, and has bagged 26 league goals in 53 appearances.
Napoli will reportedly demand a hefty fee in addition to a swap deal, with Sky Italy reporting their asking price would be up to nine figures.
Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda reportedly said: “There are no negotiations or swap deal talks in progress.
“Osimhen’s Napoli player and he wants to play Champions League with Napoli, he’s proud of being in the UCL”.
UNITED REBUFFED AGAIN AS PLAYER SPEAKS OUT
Manchester United’s new €90m ($130m) bid for Ajax attacker Antony was rejected by Ajax. But in a bombshell move, the 22-year-old Brazilian winger who has scored twice in nine international appearances took to the media to demand a deal be made for him to move to Old Trafford.
Antony revealed to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano that he had initially requested a transfer at season’s end through his agents back in February.
In June, he says, he personally told the club’s new manager and board he was determined to depart.
He added: “I was very happy in Amsterdam, I won titles at Ajax, made friends and built part of my career, but now I reinforce that I am ready and full of motivation to follow my story and my dreams”.
“I’m not asking Ajax to release me, I’m asking Ajax to sell me with the highest bid ever for Eredivisie player. I’ve been insisting on this theme since February so that the club could rebuild the team with peace of mind”.
KLOPP ADMITS SIGNING MISTAKE
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has finally admitted what everyone already knew: the injury-devastated Reds need midfield reinforcements.
The club is missing Naby Keita to injury, and lost superstar Thiago Alcantara less than half an hour into their first game of the season. With Fabinho managing just half an hour off the bench in their embarrassing defeat to Manchester United, it meant that 36-year-old midfielder James Milner started alongside 19-year-old Harvey Elliot.
Having repeatedly stated the club would not hunt for any overpriced transfers in desperation, Klopp has changed his tune.
“Yes, I am the one who said we don’t need a midfielder,” he said, “and you were all right and I was wrong. Now we are going for a midfielder”.
“We will do something but it has to be the right one”.
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IN BRIEF
Chelsea is on the brink of signing centre-back Wesley Fofana from Leicester on a deal around £75m, with the player pushing heavily for a move the Foxes were unwilling to agree to. Fofana will reportedly sign a six year deal.
West Ham is set to sign Lucas Paqueta from Olympic Lyon in France.
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