Thursday, 25th July, 2013
Rafael Benitez wants to continue playing master and commander of Napoli’s transfer targets, as his gaze shifts towards Portugal in search of Jackson Martinez.
Napoli have already picked up players from England, Holland, Spain and even Brazil, as a healthy transfer budget is boosting their overall prospects for next season.
FC Porto striker Martinez has been making waves in Portugal as the Colombian finished 2012/13 with 31 domestic goals in a title-winning season.
Little wonder that Tottenham Hotspur had seemed interested, though manager Andre Villas-Boas has since poured cold water over any approach.
relatedNewsStory
It means Benitez could be alone in the link to Martinez, whose contract at Porto has three years left, and reports have suggested that an agreement with the player is imminent.
Quotes of a transfer fee in the range of €30m have been doing the rounds though Benitez said: "How much discount am I getting for Martinez? I have not heard anything.
"I am not talking about the market [but] he is a good player and is at that level. We must do things seriously."
Dries Mertens (PSV Eindhoven), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Jose Callejon, Raul Albiol and Gonzalo Higuain (all Real Madrid) have made their high-profile arrivals already.
More can well be expected this summer, as Benitez pointed out: "We have to buy players who will do well for three-four years at Napoli.
"Players, especially, who come from clubs outside of Italy such as Real, PSV and Liverpool can only be good for us."
Free Bets? The Latest Odds? Betting Tips? It’s all at Inside Bet!
