Ezequiel Lavezzi considered leaving Napoli after initially struggling to adapt to life at the San Paolo, it has been revealed.
The Argentine is now one of the club’s most important players and assets, but there was a time where he struggled to deal with expectations.
Ezequiel Lavezzi considered leaving Napoli after initially struggling to adapt to life at the San Paolo, it has been revealed.
The Argentine is now one of the club’s most important players and assets, but there was a time where he struggled to deal with expectations.
“I remember that when Il Pocho arrived at Napoli, everyone criticised him so much that the boy was ready to go elsewhere,” former Napoli director general Pierpaolo Marino told Radio Kiss Kiss.
“The fans and the media were sceptical of him.”
The South American, signed from San Lorenzo in 2007, is presently one of the club’s most in-form players.
“I bought Lavezzi when he was still young and the fact that he is now scoring regularly is a logical process of maturity,” the present Atalanta official continued.
“When I assembled the Azzurri side I said that those kids would one day become great players.”
Lavezzi, now 26, has scored nine goals in 29 appearances for Napoli across all competitions so far this season.
The Argentine striker, reportedly of interest to Manchester City and Inter, has a €31m buy-out clause inserted into his contract.