Rafa Benitez is due to take over at Napoli and will raid the Premier League, targeting Liverpool’s Lucas Leiva and Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham.
Rafa Benitez is due to take over at Napoli and will raid the Premier League, targeting Liverpool’s Lucas Leiva and Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham.
On Friday President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed the agreement with Chelsea Interim Manager Benitez, then backtracked.
“I cannot officially announce it until he is released from the club he is currently contracted with. I cannot tell you who it is because of UEFA regulations. As soon as the club release him, I will announce it.”
Nonetheless, transfer speculation is already in full swing both in the Italian and British media.
A target in defence is Spurs man Vertonghen, the 26-year-old who has impressed under Andre Villas-Boas this season.
Napoli hope to include Federico Fernandez as part of the deal to lower the €11m price-tag, as he is valued at €6m following a loan spell at Getafe.
TalkSport suggest that Benitez is looking at his old club Liverpool to snap up Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva.
It was Benitez who first brought Lucas to Anfield from Gremio in 2007, but Napoli face an obstacle because he only recently signed a contract extension.
There are also continuing reports in Italy that Fernando Torres could arrive from Chelsea if Edinson Cavani is sold.