Napoli have challenged Manchester City to back up their interest in Edinson Cavani by offering Edin Dzeko in a £60million player-push-cash deal for the prolific Uruguayan.
The Italian club’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who has been outspoken about City in the past, flew into London on Monday and instructed his sporting director Riccardo Bigon to open negotiations with the Premier League club.
City are ready to agree a £50m deal – £30m-rated Dzeko plus £20m in cash – but Napoli want nearer £60m and De Laurentiis says it is time to put up or shut up.
Swap deal: Edinson Cavani (right) could be heading to Manchester City in exchange for Edin Dzeko Bit part: Dzeko struggled to hold down a place in City's first team last seasonHe said: ‘I told Bigon to get in touch with Manchester City to open talks about Dzeko and see what their plans are with Cavani.
‘There's a lot of talk, but less action when it comes to actually spending money. Unlike me, others seem to be taking a lot of time to use their bank account.’
Cavani, 26, has been a long-term target for City and underlined his reputation as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe by scoring 29 goals in 34 league games for Napoli – more than twice as many as Dzeko’s 14 in his 32 Premier League games.
The Bosnia striker moved to City from Wolfsburg for £27million in January 2011 but has struggled to hold down a first-team place and is one of several players expected to leave this summer.
Denied: Napoli had been linked with a move for Rafa Benitez who was in the frame to replace Walter MazzarriMeanwhile, film producer De Laurentiis insisted that he is in England to talk about his upcoming movie about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, but said the trip had nothing to do with plans to appoint Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez as Napoli’s new coach.
It is understood that Benitez is on the list of candidates to replace Walter Mazzarri but the 53-year-old Spaniard is currently in American on Chelsea’s end-off-season tour.
Paris Saint-Germain remain Benitez’s preference and they have made contact with him as they look to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
‘I did not go to London for Benitez, but for my film commitments,’ said De Laurentiis.
‘I have heard a lot of names in the past six months as I knew Mazzarri would leave.
‘Everyone is talking about who will be the new coach. But I do not do things in a hurry. I'm trying to understand who are the people who will accompany me in the next part of the journey.’
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