Former Napoli defender Ciro Ferrara does not think that Lorenzo Insigne would move to Toronto just for the money.
The 30-year-old Italian winger seems to be only a step away from joining the MLS side on a huge five-year contract, leaving the Partenopei after over a decade of service.
Speaking in an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Ferrara discussed his history with Insigne and the current situation in the Campania capital.
“Lorenzo I’ve known since he was a kid, I coached him in the Under-21 team, I know how serious he is. And I know that, whatever happens, he will give everything he has in these next five months. He might miss a game, even two, but it will be in the natural order of things.
“Let’s put things into perspective, there’s a club that, legitimately, makes choices, led by a businessman who has to make ends meet, and then there’s a player who has to make other choices, he’s 31 years old, he’s his own manager.”
Ferrara touched on if Insigne’s move would only be for financial reasons or whether there’s other motivations in play.
“There are other motivations. The choice of life, the desire to get back into the game, the possibility of the children growing up learning languages and getting to know the world. It’s a total change of life.
“And in any case, when it’s over, there’s no reason to find fault or to engage in petty moralising, Lorenzo gave and received, and Napoli too. Then, there were, I suppose, those silences that were decisive in pulling away. But no one should give lessons.”
The 30-year-old Insigne seems only a step away from joining Toronto on a five-year deal worth over €11m gross per season plus add-ons (some reports suggest the €11m salary is net, although this hasn’t been confirmed).
The Italian winger has made 18 appearances across all competitions so far this season for Napoli, for a total of 1311 minutes. In that time, he has scored five goals and provided six assists.