Exclusive: Pavoletti turned down Napoli; Milan opted for cheaper Lapadula | by Fabrizio Romano
Milan may end up regretting not signing Leonardo Pavoletti this summer, and not just because he popped up and added the third on the weekend in a 3-0 rout.
It turns out that Milan were really interested in Pavoletti, and that CEO Adriano Galliani had approached Enrico Preziosi in early June, only to back down when he was asked for 15-20 million… and opt for Gianluca Lapadula. Ouch!
With Pavoletti on the pitch, Genoa are another team. Back from his injury, the striker is now a big transfer target in Italy, with the likes of Napoli also interested. Pavoletti was subject to a big offer, which would have satisfied Preziosi, even though the president would have rather kept his striker. It was Pavoletti himself who said no, as he didn’t want to be the alternative to Milik, and preferred to play often and be a fan favourite.
Though Preziosi has already excluded a potential January move, Napoli could well try again during the winter window, especially if Manolo Gabbiadini continues to disappoint. So far, Pavoletti is focussing only on Genoa, on staying and on being a protagonist..but he’ll evaluate the offer. He doesn’t want to play second string to Milik, however… making a June move more likely.
