Manchester United reportedly leaned on their financial firepower to win the race to sign Edinson Cavani over Serie A side Napoli this summer.
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Cavani, 33, joined the Reds on deadline on a free transfer after the South American’s contract with Paris-Saint Germain expired earlier this year, the deal was announced on the club’s official website ManUtd.com.
The elite striker who also had previous spells with Parma and Napoli has a superb goalscoring record after netting a whopping 341 goals in 560 senior professional career.
However, according to journalist Raffaele Auriemma who spoke live on Italian radio station Radio Marte (via Sports Witness), Cavani was lined-up for a summer return to Napoli but instead opted to join United due to the wages the Reds offered.
As relayed by Area Napoli, here is what Auriemma said: “Why didn’t Napoli reprise Edinson Cavani, whose return would’ve made the fans dream? Notwithstanding the fact that Victor Osimhen has been taken, who’s a great talent and will have the opportunity to expose himself, if he’s given the right time, it’s good to know that Cavani did not want to go back to Napoli.
“That’s right: ‘In the Neapolitan square he made history and he’s remembered as the great Matador, so what am I going to do, to hibernate?’
The idea was this, so to speak. Instead, yes he’s transferred to Manchester United, a great club that gave him a lot of money: so much that Napoli could never have assured him. In short, forget it: he didn’t want to come. For 15 million [euros] a year, maybe, a little thought would have done it? I don’t think he’d have earned that money somewhere else.”
In short, Auriemma claims that United were able to bring Cavani to Old Trafford by offering the striker a financial package most other clubs, including Napoli could never have been able to match.
Cavani has featured in just four matches for the Red Devils but has so far failed to get on the scoresheet.
The Reds are set to host Everton in the Premier League later this afternoon with Cavani recently named in their match day squad, could this be the day the United faithful see their star-man open his account? – We will see.