Over the past few days, we’re sure you’ll have, somewhere, seen rumours linking Chelsea and Liverpool to Napoli’s Faouzi Ghoulam.
We had a look at the vicious transfer circle that took place between Algeria and Italy the other day, which also leaked into England, picked up by some tabloids, but it appears everyone jumped the gun a bit.
The story suggested the left-back wouldn’t renew his contract with the Serie A outfit with a view to leave on a free in the summer, which, in true British fashion, put Chelsea and Liverpool ‘on alert’, or however else it was put.
We all know both Antonio Conte and Jürgen Klopp could do with a new left-back in some shape or form, especially if he were on a free, and Ghoulam would have been ideal.
However, Il Mattino don’t believe that one bit, and, in fact, are fairly confident the Algeria international will renew his contract by four years in the very near future.
The Italian newspaper explain Napoli’s idea here is purely financial, as they know Ghoulam could still want to move down the line, and all they want is money for him, rather than watching him exit for nothing.
The contract they are prepared to offer him will include two release clauses: one of around €40m for ‘top clubs’, like Chelsea and Liverpool, or, if the level of interested sides is a notch lower, a smaller one of €27m.
Yes, it’s a bit unfair, but that’s business, and also the price you pay for being rich clubs.
In today’s market, €40m for a top quality left-back could be seen as a bit of a bargain, so it’ll be interesting to see if either Klopp or Conte ask their club to still move for Ghoulam next summer.
