Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has revealed that Inter loanee Mauro Icardi is ‘far beyond our financial reach’.
In an extensive interview with Sky Sport 24, the Azzurri director spoke about the economical ‘setback’ in football during the current crisis, the hypothesis of a prolonged transfer market and the business Napoli have been doing behind the scenes during the quarantine.
Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has revealed that Inter loanee Mauro Icardi is ‘far beyond our financial reach’.
In an extensive interview with Sky Sport 24, the Azzurri director spoke about the economical ‘setback’ in football during the current crisis, the hypothesis of a prolonged transfer market and the business Napoli have been doing behind the scenes during the quarantine.
“It’s a bad blow also for the economy of football. It’s a setback of an entity that we still can’t measure,” he told Sky Sport 24. “Does the emergency change the renewal plans for next year? In our opinion, the refoundation has already been done this year, it’s an ongoing change that will continue.”
The sporting director is not sure if he would support the suggestion of keeping the transfer market open during the season.
“The market to remain open all the time would be useful for us who operate on the market, but it would go against the ethics of the championship.
“Players would not have their heads on the games. Like in January, which is always very particular. They could certainly postpone the deadline, but not keep it open during the campaign.”
Giuntoli revealed that he has been keeping busy during the quarantine period in Italy and claimed the Azzurri can’t afford bringing in Inter loanee Mauro Icardi after his stint at Paris Saint-Germain.
“At the beginning there was no desire to negotiate, we tried to get information about the virus, like everyone else,” he added. “We are certainly dedicated to work along the way.
“This is a month where reports arrive, a daily comparison with the scouts to understand what we should do.
“Everybody would want Icardi, but he is far beyond our financial reach. [Sassuolo’s Jeremie] Boga is an interesting player but so far we haven’t made a move for him.”
Hirving Lozano has struggled to make an impact under Gennaro Gattuso and some reports in Italy have claimed that the Mexico international could be on his way out after only one season at the San Paolo.
But the sporting director has claimed that Lozano remains an ‘asset’ for the Partenopei.
“He wasn’t doing so well physically when he arrived and had a troubled summer,” Giuntoli revealed. “But he also played some good games with Ancelotti.
“He remains an asset for Napoli, even if he didn’t show his best form at times.”