Serie A side Napoli are eyeing up a January swoop for
Watford striker Odion Ighalo who has a £32million buy-out clause in his new
contract, according to reports in Italy. The Nigerian international moved to the Hornets from Udinese
in 2014 following loan spells with Granada and Cesena.
Since then, Ighalo has been a revelation at Vicarage Road, having
scored 36 in 77 league matches and guiding them to consolidating their Premier
League place last season.
Corriere dello Sport claims that Napoli have a better chance
of landing Ighalo because of Watford patron Giampaolo Pozzo’s excellent
relationship with the Serie A side’s chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Ighalo's new five-year Watford deal carries a buyout clause
of £32million. The club turned down a £30m-plus offer from Manchester United
for the striker in January and that Shanghai SIPG tested their resolve in the
summer with a £38m bid.
Now Napoli, with the money from the sale of Gonzalo Higuain
burning a hole in their pocket, are reported to be monitoring his situation.
And, although Ighalo has been brilliant since joining
Watford, he has only appeared five times in nine appearances so far this season
with Walter Mazzarri now in charge.
One of Ighalo’s representatives says interest in the Watford
striker remains strong but that Watford continue to stand firm over last
season’s top-scorer.
“I doubt he can leave in January, since he’s too important
for Hornets,” agent Patrick Bastianell told Italian radio station Radio Marte.
“He made a great ride during last two season, by scoring 36 goals overall. Last
summer also Chelsea and Manchester United wanted to sign him, but Watford
weren’t even available to start a negotiation. Anyway, he’s got a second EU
passport, and we’ll see what happens. Watford and the Pozzo family has
excellent relations with Napoli, but according to their corporate policies,
it’s difficult to sell important players in the winter transfer market.”
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