Napoli, DS Manna harsh on Kvara's sale: "We were almost blackmailed. Garnacho? We couldn't afford it"

After the closure of the winter transfer market, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna took stock of the transfer of Kvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint Germain and the failed negotiations for the Georgian talent's replacement.

In a press conference, the Italian sports director clarified the reasons for the operation, rejecting speculation about the club's alleged financial difficulties. "We thank Kvaratskhelia for everything he's done for Napoli and the city. We tried to resolve the situation back in July, then in November and December, but in the end we were forced to sell him. I'm not saying we were blackmailed, but almost...", said Manna.

The DS denied that the sale was linked to the budget: "It's not true that it was needed to revitalize the summer transfer market. Until 20 days earlier, we were negotiating a major renewal, but the dynamics of the transfer market and the player's desire changed everything." Kvaratskhelia's departure has created a significant void and Napoli has tried to fill it with various profiles. However, many negotiations have not come to fruition.

"We tried to work on the market, but in January it's difficult to buy strong players. Some of the players weren't in line with our evaluations and Napoli's parameters, especially in terms of wages.", explained Manna. Among the names followed, Alejandro Garnacho was one of the most concrete objectives: "We were in talks with him even before Kvara left, but the player wanted a salary we couldn't afford. It wouldn't have been fair to those who already play here."

Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi was also close to Napoli: "I spoke directly with the player, but he preferred not to come now. We didn't want to insist." On Allan Saint-Maximin, the deal fell through due to financial issues: "We had resolved the bureaucratic issues, but the Arabs wanted more money. The regret is that some negotiations wasted our time, preventing us from closing deals for other players."

For Noah Okafor, Manna wanted to clarify: "It's not true that he failed his medical against Leipzig. It was their situation. He's a bit behind physically after an injury, but he needs time to get back to full fitness." Manna also spoke about the failed deal for Danilo, former Juventus captain: "I know him personally from my previous experience. We had finalized everything—when I say everything, I mean everything. We expected him to arrive in the days following the agreement, but he made a different life choice. There are also human aspects to consider."

Napoli had thought of an investment for the future in the young Comuzzo: "We made a written, honest, real offer. When we realized there was no room for negotiation, we couldn't complete the deal." In addition to the incoming market, the Italian sports director took stock of the renewals of some key elements of the squad. "Olivera's contract is practically done. We have an agreement with the player, we're calm and happy. Mathias really wanted to renew."

On Meret, Manna reassured: "He's really keen to renovate, and we're not far off. We arranged to meet up after the transfer window in December to be more relaxed. There was no need to close immediately, but we'll see each other again in the coming weeks." Finally, for Frank Anguissa, Napoli feels safe: "He has a contract with a two-year option, but we've already spoken to his team."

The relationship with Conte and the future of Napoli

Manna also addressed the issue of the relationship with Antonio Conte, who did not hide his discontent at the farewell of kvaratskhelia. "It's clear we're not happy, myself included. A key player has left, and expectations were high, perhaps partly due to our own fault. But we shouldn't belittle the group, which has earned 54 points and is growing strongly.", the DS underlined.

Regarding his relationship with the coach, Manna wanted to reassure the fans: "The strategies are always converging. There's nothing to fix, the manager is focused on the pitch and his work. Hanging around here talking too much about the transfer market risks diminishing what's been achieved so far. The goal remains clear: to bring Napoli back to Europe, hopefully through the front door."