Hirving Lozano’s representatives met Napoli executives in Castel di Sangro last night to present an official proposal from Los Angeles FC.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Major League Soccer franchise have submitted a €15 million bid for the Partenopei outcast, with Aurelio De Laurentiis gunning for €20m.
However, both parties are eager to get the deal over the line as Lozano’s skills are no longer in demand at the Diego Maradona Stadium, and he wants out.
The 28-year-old winger has already accepted LAFC’s three-year contract offer worth €5.5m per season, leaving his future in the hands of De Laurentiis, who could throw a spanner in the works.
Known as a stubborn negotiator, De Laurentiis doesn’t budge on his requests, although Lozano’s expiring contract could play into Los Angeles’ hands.
With less than a year left to run on his current deal, the Mexico international is on the fringes at Napoli, and this is their last chance to cash in on him.
Considering the reigning Serie A holders shelled out a then-club record fee of €42m to sign him from PSV Eindhoven in 2019, they cannot afford to lose him on a free transfer next year.
That’s LAFC’s best hope of securing his signature on their terms, but there’s a feeling they’ll need to throw an additional €2-3m into the mix to get De Laurentiis’ approval.
Newly-appointed Napoli boss Rudi Garcia has reinforced the MLS club’s efforts to take Lozano across the Atlantic by making him the only unused substitute in last weekend’s 4-0 thumping of Hatayspor.
Garcia is already bracing himself up for life after the ex-Pachuca forward.
AZ Alkmaar’s sought-after talent Jesper Karlsson has surfaced on the Frenchman’s radar, with the Dutch club pinning a €20m price tag on the Swedish starlet.
Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino is another alternative, but after losing Nicolas Jackson and Samuel Chukwueze, the Spaniards may be reluctant to let another first-team attacker leave the Estadio de la Ceramica.
