Transfer Centre

Napoli reveal Atletico Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain offer

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 20 July 2016

Atletico Madrid offered '£50m plus two or three players' for Gonzalo Higuain this summer, according to Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that Atletico Madrid made a bid of £50m "plus two or three players" for Gonzalo Higuain in this summer's transfer window.

Higuain, who has two years left to run on his Napoli deal, set a new Serie A scoring record last season when he hit 36 league goals in a single campaign.

Juventus and Arsenal have both been strongly linked with moves for the Argentine international, but De Laurentiis has claimed that the only summer bid has come from Atletico and that was quickly rejected.

"Even if Juventus were to come back into the picture, they'd need Higuain's consent. You can't profess yourself one of the curva, singing Napoli songs and then go to Napoli's historic rival," De Laurentiis told reporters.

"The game of games has always been with Juventus. I haven't spoken to Higuain, so all these suggestions are coming from different agendas within the media. The only offer I've had was from the Atletico president (Enrique Cerezo) a month ago and I told him we couldn't do it. He offered me €60m (£50m) plus two or three players and I said no."

Juve were believed to be prepared to pay £78.8m to sign Higuain this summer, but earlier this week, the Old Lady's chief executive Giuseppe Moratta ruled out a move for the 28-year-old.