Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has ruled the Italian giants out of the running to sign out-of-contract Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani this summer.
The Uruguay international, who spent three years in Naples between 2010 and 2013, will leave Old Trafford when his contract expires at the end of next month. He made just 20 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two goals.
The 35-year-old joined United on a free transfer in October 2020 and enjoyed a respectable first campaign in England, scoring 17 goals in 39 matches. However, injury issues derailed his chances of becoming a more familiar figure this season, meaning he will leave the club when his contract expires in four weeks time.
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Unsurprisingly, he has already been linked with a plethora of clubs, both in Europe and his native South America, including Italian outfit Salernitana, who confirmed their interest in him last week. However, reports of a surprise return to Napoli, for whom he scored 104 goals in 137 appearances for, have had cold water poured over them by the club's president, who has highlighted Cavani's age as the reason why they are not joining the race for his signature.
"One thing is to sign a 35-year-old goalkeeper, but with the strikers, it's a different story," said De Laurentiis, as quoted by Football Italia. We need to make the right decisions for the team's balance.
"He is a nice person, but the environment could create problems if he doesn't play. I've spoken to David Ospina and I am waiting for a reply.
"Same for Fabian Ruiz, I've made an offer. We don't want to sell anyone, but we are not going to break the bank. We are not becoming less ambitious, but we need to get back on track after the financial issues of the last few years."
Cavani made his final appearance for United in last Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, earning what was just his fifth start of 2022 in all competitions. It was also the first time that he had completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League since the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in January.
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