Arsenal were ready to pay €17m (£15m) for Jorginho, but Napoli insisted he was not for sale, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The 25-year-old midfielder is a metronome in the Partenopei squad, but finds it difficult to get regular first team football at the Stadio San Paolo.
Born and raised in Brazil, but with an Italian passport and two caps for the Azzurri, he left Hellas Verona for Napoli in January 2014 for €9.5m.
Arsenal were ready to pay €17m (£15m) for Jorginho, but Napoli insisted he was not for sale, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The 25-year-old midfielder is a metronome in the Partenopei squad, but finds it difficult to get regular first team football at the Stadio San Paolo.
Born and raised in Brazil, but with an Italian passport and two caps for the Azzurri, he left Hellas Verona for Napoli in January 2014 for €9.5m.
Last season he made 31 appearances between Serie A and the Champions League, often benched in favour of Allan or Amadou Diawara.
He nonetheless had a curious statistical record, making more passes per game last season than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues.
Jorginho had already been linked with Arsenal in the past, but La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest Arsene Wenger came back in this summer only to be rebuffed.
It’s claimed the Gunners offered £15m (€17m), but Napoli replied that Jorginho was not for sale.