Napoli Gives Reason For Garnacho's Failure To Recruit Manchester United

Alejandro Garnacho failed to move to Napoli from Manchester United in the January 2025 exchange (Instagram/@garnacho7).

JAKARTA - Napoli's sporting director, Gioanni Manna, said that Alejandro Garnacho's financial demands to leave Manchester United in the January 2025 transfer window were too high for the Italian club.

Garnacho, 20, is one of the players Napoli is considering to strengthen their attack line in January 2025.

Napoli lost star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain for a 60 million euros (61 million US dollars) last month.

"Garnach is a player we love and we love," Manna told a news conference on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

"We considered it even before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's departure. We met."

"We made a very important offer to Manchester United. We are almost meeting their demands, very close," he said again.

Even if the transfer fee is approved by Manchester United, Manna said the deal would not be finalized due to the Argentine winger's financial demand.

"To leave the Premier League in January 2025, because in July 2025 the situation is different, Garnacho may want to feel financially satisfied," said Manna.

"It's something we can't do right now. We're not willing to do it and I don't think it's true."

"When you have an average salary in the dressing room, I bring in young players who earn moderate to high salaries, I don't think that's right for players who do important work here," said Manna.

Manna also revealed that Borussia Dortmund striker Karim Adeyemi refused to move to Napoli.

Adeyemi, 23 years old, has reportedly been targeted by several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool and Chelsea.

"For Adeyemi, we have a draft agreement with Dortmund," said Manna.

"We were there, we spoke to players who weren't sure and didn't want to come now."

"I read that he already had an agreement with others, but that's not true. I don't want to force anyone who has come since I was here to come to Napoli," he said.

Napoli, who is at the top of the Serie A standings, signed a Swiss striker, Noah Okafor, on loan from AC Milan on the last day of the transfer market.