Rome: Napoli will target Villarreal's Italy forward Giuseppe Rossi if a potential suitor triggers Ezequiel Lavezzi's release clause, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has said.
Argentine forward Lavezzi is believed to have a 31-million-euro release clause and has attracted interest from a number of clubs.
And should he decide to leave, De Laurentiis will turn his attention to former Manchester United man Rossi.
"A while ago I called Villarreal about Rossi, I spoke to him and he didn't turn me down," De Laurentiis said in an interview.
"That was four or five weeks ago but they haven't called back since so I will look them up.”
"I even offered to buy him and to leave him there until January. Rossi was delighted with my phone call, we spent 10 minutes on the phone.”
"He said he was flattered by this interest and now I'm going to get back on the case."
De Laurentiis insisted, however, Lavezzi was still a key player.
"As far as I'm concerned, Lavezzi is a player we're counting on," said De Laurentiis.
"He has a get-out clause and if someone puts that amount on the table and the lad agrees, we'd be obliged to sell him.”
"If that's the case we'll find a worthy replacement, even someone better than Lavezzi.”
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 17:51