Latest news with #GiovanniManna
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gossip: Man City want £55m Reijnders
Manchester City are stepping up their pursuit of 26-year-old AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who is expected to command a fee of more than £55m. (Mail) Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna says they have been working on a deal to sign midfielder Kevin de Bruyne when his City contract expires next month. (Rai News - in Italian) Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Napoli director drops two-word update on De Bruyne transfer
Napoli director Giovanni Manna confirms the Partenopei are 'pretty close' to signing Kevin De Bruyne as a free agent. De Bruyne's contract expires at the end of the season, but Napoli have been in talks with his camp for several weeks. Advertisement Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed on Thursday evening that Antonio Conte would remain at the club beyond the summer, but reporters also requested updates on De Bruyne. Napoli director Giovanni Manna and coach Antonio Conte Therefore, ADL called Manna, saying: 'He is in continuous contact with De Bruyne and his lawyers.' At that point, Manna replied with just two words and a smile: 'Pretty close,' said the Napoli director via Sky Sport. De Bruyne is available on a free transfer as his contract with Manchester City expires at the end of the season. The Premier League giants decided against offering KDB a new deal, so the Partenopei made their move alongside Chicago Fire and Fenerbahce. Advertisement Transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri reported on Thursday that De Bruyne had rejected a €25m offer for two seasons from Fenerbahce to sign for Napoli. Why De Bruyne will leave Manchester City 'I have not had any offer the whole year, they [Man City] just took a decision,' De Bruyne said in April, via BBC. 'Obviously, I was a bit surprised but I just have to accept it. Honestly, I still think I can perform at this level like I'm showing, but I understand clubs have to make decisions. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City looks on after the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on May 20, 2025 in Manchester, England, This match is to be Kevin De Bruyne's last home match for Manchester City before he departs in the summer when his contract expires. De Bruyne, will receive a guard of honour from team-mates and staff after a successful 10-year career at the club seeing him win 6 leagues titles and the Champions League. (Photo by) 'I feel like I still have a lot to give. Obviously I know I'm not 25 any more but I still feel like I can do my job. 'I'm open for anything. I have to look at the whole picture. I'm looking at sporting, family, everything together, what makes the most sense for me and my family. 'I like to play football. I like to compete. That's what I feel, so I can't say that I want to quit because I still feel that whenever I'm in training I want to beat the guys.'
New York Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Napoli sporting director says club can ‘see the finish line' in Kevin De Bruyne talks
Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna says the club can 'see the finish line' in their talks to conclude a deal for Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis said the deal was not yet finalised but added he held positive discussions with De Bruyne and his family on Monday. Advertisement The Belgium international, 33, announced in April he would be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season after 10 years at the club and he has attracted interest from a number of Major League Soccer (MLS) sides. Speaking at Napoli's open top bus parade as the club celebrated winning the 2024-25 Serie A title, Manna told broadcaster RAI: 'Let's say we've been working on it for a long time, we can see the finish line. We don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but we're working in that direction. We hope to be able to give our fans a new player because the team deserves it too.' Napoli sold Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain in January and also had an approach for Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho knocked back that month, and they had prioritised adding creativity to their squad this summer. The club secured the Serie A title on the final day of the campaign on Friday with victory over Cagliari, their second league title in three seasons. De Laurentiis added: 'I know he's already checked out a few things… or I even think he's already bought a lovely place. This morning I was on a video call with him, his wife and his nine-year-old boy and it was a lovely sight; a lovely couple, actually a lovely triplet with the nine-year-old boy' Asked if the deal is done, De Laurentiis replied: 'Not yet. Until it all down on paper, you don't announce something. We're serious people' De Bruyne made 422 appearances for City following his 2015 move from Wolfsburg, providing 108 goals and 177 assists. He won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023, and City confirmed after his final home game that they were planning to build a statue outside the Etihad to honour his contribution to the club. Chicago Fire were one of four MLS teams — alongside Inter Miami, NYCFC and D.C. United — to have expressed interest in recruiting De Bruyne following the conclusion of his City contract.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gossip: Napoli to step up Garnacho pursuit
Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna is set to meet with Manchester United over a possible deal for 20-year-old Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, who was the subject of a rejected £40m bid from the Italian champions in January. (i paper, external)Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip columnFollow the gossip column on BBC Sport
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report McTominay doubled transfer value since leaving Manchester United
After securing the Scudetto at Napoli and being named Serie A Best Overall Player in his debut season, Scott McTominay has reportedly doubled his transfer value since leaving Manchester United. The Scotland international had spent his entire career at Old Trafford, but never quite lived up to those early expectations. Advertisement Antonio Conte and Napoli director Giovanni Manna spotted an opportunity on the market and snapped him up for €30m plus a 10 per cent cut of any future sale fee. epa11305261 Scott McTominay of Manchester United in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Burnley FC in Manchester, Britain, 27 April 2024. EPA-EFE/ADAM VAUGHAN EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. It proved a masterstroke, as he scored 12 goals and provided six assists in 34 Serie A appearances, proving absolutely essential in their march to the title. McTominay was also named Serie A Best Overall Player for the 2024-25 campaign. Serie A MVP award in debut season for McTominay NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 23: Scott McTominay of Napoli celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Cagliari at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 23, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by) According to these performances have allowed the 28-year-old to double his value on the transfer market in the space of just one season and is now to be considered worth circa €60m. Advertisement Part of the transformation was in his tactical role, giving him more freedom to push forward and attack rather than be used largely for defensive duties the way he was in Manchester. When Conte adjusted his system, varying between 3-5-2, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2, McTominay moved around to be a trequartista or even cutting inside from the wide left position. NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 23: Scott McTominay of Napoli scores his team's first goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Cagliari at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 23, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by) The player nearly doubled his personal best for goals scored in a single season, from seven in the 2023-24 Premier League to 12 in Serie A this term. McTominay's assists also surged from the previous personal best of one to this year's six. His contract with Napoli runs to June 2028 and is believed to be worth circa €3m per season net, a bargain considering his results.
