Napoli defender Nikola Maksimović has a ‘request’ from Everton this summer, having told the Italian side he wants to leave.
That’s according to Il Mattino, who cover the Blues interest after reports earlier this week that they had made a move for him.
The first to report on Everton’s interest was journalist Ciro Venerato, who claimed the Blues had made a bid for the defender after essentially giving up in the race for Gabriel Magalhães.
That was then followed up by reports in La Repubblica and Gazzetta Dello Sport, who both claimed Everton were interested. Indeed the latter stated they had already offered him a four-year deal worth €2m a season.
Il Mattino cover what is going on today and explain that the rumours have emerged because Maksimović is refusing to sign a new deal at the club.
He’s in the final year of his deal and had been offered an extension he was happy with earlier this year.
However, Napoli changed the terms of the agreement following the Coronavirus epidemic reducing it from €2m a year to €1.3m instead.
Maksimović isn’t happy as he thought he would ‘get at least €2m’ and has now ‘put his foot down’ with the club, despite his agent, Fali Ramadani, instructing him to accept the reduced terms.
If the club refuse, they will be forced to put him on the market and sell as he’d be in the final year of his deal and able to leave on a free next summer.
Finding a suitor would not be particularly hard as Fiorentina, Roma, AC Milan and Lazio have all shown an interest, as have Everton.
The newspaper does not offer an asking price, although reports earlier this week indicated Napoli would look for at least €20m for their man.
