Jump directly to the content
Gossip
NOT CAUGHT NAP-PING

Napoli turned down £151m for Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly from Barcelona and Manchester City

Italian club have Champions League football this season and could afford to brush away bids for their star players, according to reports

NAPOLI were bold enough to brush aside two bids worth £151million for Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Barcelona came in late for Italian striker Insigne, 26, who scored 21 goals for club and country last term.

 Lorenzo Insigne celebrates scoring for Napoli against Nice in Champions League qualifying
5
Lorenzo Insigne celebrates scoring for Napoli against Nice in Champions League qualifyingCredit: EPA
 Lorenzo Insigne is currently on international duty with the Italy squad
5
Lorenzo Insigne is currently on international duty with the Italy squadCredit: EPA

Meanwhile defender Koulibaly was wanted by City at the last minute as well, according to Football Italia.

City valued the Senegalese at roughly £60m but did not manage to land another defender on deadline day, with Jonny Evans also a target.

Pep Guardiola has made no secret of his desire to bolster City's defence - and he managed to sign three defenders over the summer.

They brought in Kyle Walker from Tottenham, Danilo from Real Madrid and Benjamin Mendy from Monaco.

But that was after jettisoning Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna as well as keeper Joe Hart.

Barca, meanwhile, had been after another forward to bolster their ranks after the departure of Neymar and the arrival of Ousmane Dembele.

 Kalidou Koulibaly was valued at about £60m by Manchester City
5
Kalidou Koulibaly was valued at about £60m by Manchester CityCredit: EPA
 Kalidou Koulibaly goes up against Nice's Mario Balotelli in Napoli's Champions League qualifier
5
Kalidou Koulibaly goes up against Nice's Mario Balotelli in Napoli's Champions League qualifierCredit: EPA
 Ousmane Dembele signed for Barcelona for £110m
5
Ousmane Dembele signed for Barcelona for £110mCredit: Alamy Live News

Frenchman Dembele, 20, joined the Catalan giants for a £110m - and they were prepared to fork out a similar sum for Insigne.

The Italian is at the peak of his powers, but question marks remain over his calibre at one of Europe's elite clubs.

Insigne scored as Napoli all-but knocked out Nice during Champions League qualifying, as the Serie A side won the tie 4-0 overall.


Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and gossip in our live blog


Topics