Juan Camilo Zuniga is out of contract next summer and repeatedly linked with Juventus, but assured fans “I’m very happy at Napoli.”
Juan Camilo Zuniga is out of contract next summer and repeatedly linked with Juventus, but assured fans “I’m very happy at Napoli.”
The Colombian international’s renewal talks have stalled and many expect Zuniga to join Juve before he can leave as a free agent in July 2014.
“It’s not easy reading your name every day in the newspapers,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I am doing everything possible to stay calm, as I focus only on playing and having fun. The rest is in the hands of God.
“I never said I wanted to leave Napoli. In fact, I feel Neapolitan inside, as I arrived in this city four years ago and immediately felt at home. I am very happy here.
“So, if two of us want the same thing, then we just need to find a solution. I don’t think it will be so difficult and I have a lot of faith it will all be resolved in a few days.
“I am pleased and flattered to be of interest to Juventus. If they or other big clubs want me, it means I worked well over the past few days at Napoli, but I am a Napoli player now and so don’t consider those options.”
This interview is likely to make a huge difference to Zuniga’s rapport with the fans, who jeered him during a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray.
“I always had a good relationship with the supporters and I wasn’t angry. If they jeered, they must’ve had their reasons. It was important for me to respond on the pitch and with that goal I think I achieved it. They understood and after that applauded me.
“Every time I wear the Napoli jersey, I give my soul. The fans know that and an isolated incident will not ruin our rapport.”