According to reports, Alessandro Buongiorno is eager to join Antonio Conte’s Napoli, even after Torino declared he was not for sale.
The centre-back is a product of the Granata youth academy and is widely tipped to be their next captain.
Toro had already rebuffed an approach in the January transfer window from both Milan and Atalanta, while there is also interest from him this summer from Juventus, Inter and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, Sky Sport Italia and the Corriere dello Sport suggest that Buongiorno has now actively opened the door for a potential move to Napoli.
Torino eager to keep Buongiorno
It is not going to be easy, as only on Friday Torino President Urbano Cairo told reporters there was “no price-tag because Buongiorno is not on the market.”
A proposal worth €50m could sway him into a sale, just as it did with Gleison Bremer to Juventus, but so far the biggest bid from the Partenopei is believed to be €35m.
That is still a very big gap, which could be reduced if the player pushes to leave Torino.
Meanwhile, Napoli are also looking at other defenders for Conte’s system, with negotiations dragging on for free agent Mario Hermoso’s commission – believed to be €5m – and interest revived in Rafa Marin of Real Madrid.
Contracts between players & clubs must be respected, but what’s the point of holding on to players who want to leave? Some want trophies (and more money), while some simply want more money.