Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis claims his side will no longer negotiate with Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas regarding the transfer of French midfielder Maxime Gonalons and a deal will only be consummated on the San Paolo club’s conditions.
The Partenopei nearly signed the 25-year old Gonalons during the winter transfer market and had agreed in principle to a deal with the club and negotiated terms with the player before Aulas put the brakes on the deal which led Napoli to sign Hellas Verona midfielder Jorginho in his place.
“I talked plenty with Aulas in January and I’m done discussing football with him. If he wants to sell [Gonalons] then he’s doing it under our terms or the player can simply stay at the club,” the Roman filmaker explained in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.
“Additionally, Gonalons’ agent is a friend of Aulas and he is acting in the interests of the club.”
Gonalons, who has spent his entire senior career with Lyon, is club captain and made a team high 36 starts for the squad in this past season’s Ligue 1 campaign and is coveted for his defensive cover which will be required as Napoli seem likely to lose Valon Behrami who fell out of favor with coach Rafa Benitez as the Spaniard consistently employed Jorginho and Gokhan Inler as the midfield pairing in his favored 4-2-3-1 formation.
