The Siren's Song - Napoli pursuing Nikola Maksimovic: The latest transfer news, rumors, and updates on the Torino defenderFall Under the Spell of Napolihttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52658/tss_fav.png2015-08-18T22:20:39+02:00http://www.thesirenssong.com/rss/stream/89132822015-08-18T22:20:39+02:002015-08-18T22:20:39+02:00Cairo: "Too late to sign Maksimovic"
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<p>Can we please stop hearing about this now?</p> <p><a href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Napoli's</a> efforts to land Nikola Maksimovic may have just been handed a permanent burial. The chances have seemed slim at best that the <i>partenopei</i> land their top defensive target, but after a radio interview <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino" class="sbn-auto-link">Torino</a> chairman Urbano Cairo did with <i>Radio Kiss Kiss</i> in Naples, it looks like those chances just went from "remote" to "none."</p>
<p>Most of the quotes aren't much of anything new -- more denigration of Napoli's bid and player valuations, more overhyping of Maksimovic's skill and quality, declaring him too valuable to sell, blah blah blah. There was one interesting bit, though,<a target="_blank" href="http://gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/torino-cairo-lofferta-del-napoli-per-maksimovic-e-inadeguata-non-si-muovera/"> saying that "it's too late now"</a> for Napoli to work a deal for the defender, and that "not even a crazy offer can change things."</p>
<p>With the season starting this weekend, that's perhaps an understandable stance to take, even though there's still almost two full weeks left before the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/transfer-rumors" class="sbn-auto-link">transfer window</a> actually closes. Still, most teams prefer to have their squad set before the first opening whistle of the season, and Cairo's often stubborn anyways.</p>
<p>For Napoli, Cairo's interview should serve as an official notice for them to move to their backup plan. Signing Maksimovic would have been nice, but, well, it's not happening. Probably hasn't been going to happen for awhile now. If Napoli still want to buy another center back, they need to identify their top target quickly and move even faster to secure him. Time is running out.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/8/18/9173367/maksimovic-transfer-rumor-napoli-torino-too-late-cairo-go-awayConor Dowley2015-08-15T22:15:06+02:002015-08-15T22:15:06+02:00Cairo declares that Maksimovic won't join Napoli
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<p>God, can we just end this stupid saga one way or the other already?</p> <p>Urbano Cairo is not a very nice man. The chairman of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino">Torino</a> stonewalled <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/">Napoli's</a> efforts to sign <span>Matteo Darmian</span> before Manchester United swooped in, and now he's throwing a ridiculous price tag on Nikola Maksimovic because he has a <i>seriously</i> overblown valuation of the player.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago, he slapped a €25 million price tag on the Serbian defender, to which Napoli rightfully laughed at and simply bumped up their standing offer a little bit. That was the sensible thing to do, because surely Cairo couldn't <i>really</i> mean he wanted that much for Maksimovic, right? It had to be a bargaining ploy. Right?</p>
<p>Well. Maybe not.</p>
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<p>Is he close to Napoli? Absolutely not. Actually, you could even say he’s getting further and further away. We got an offer which isn’t enough for the player’s value - €12m plus bonuses.</p>
<p>I’m not saying it’s offensive, because I know and respect the value of money, but it’s not appropriate for the quality of Nikola Maksimovic. I’m sorry for the Neopolitan fans, I’m very sympathetic, but there’s isn’t even a basis to start talks from.</p>
<p>[Alessio] Romangoli moved from Roma to Milan for twice the amount we were offered, and it’s too close to the end of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/transfer-rumors">transfer window</a> anyway.</p>
<p align="right">-Source: Radio RAI, translation via <a target="new" href="http://www.football-italia.net/71076/cairo-%E2%80%98maksimovic-will-stay%E2%80%99">Football Italia</a></p>
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<p>Well, my jaw's on the floor. He really, truly believes that because Romagnoli went for <span>€25 million, then so should Maksimovic. That's so patently ridiculous I'm not really sure where to start, but let's try anyways.</span></p>
<p>First off, the situations with which to value Maksimovic and Romagnoli are hardly comparable. Romagnoli is arguably the best home-grown Italian defender to come around in years, giving Roma plenty of reason to force Milan to pay a premium on those grounds alone. Add that to the fact that Romagnoli is already quite good, is three years younger than Maksimovic, and looks like he has a notably higher ceiling, and there's absolutely <i>no</i> reason to justify equivalent fees for the two players.</p>
<p>Unless you're just a greedy jerk. Which, Urbano Cairo, so there you go.</p>
<p>Sure, Napoli's offer is probably a <i>little </i>low depending on what those mentioned bonuses are, but come on, you've got common ground to start talks from. Negotiations are a give and take, but Torino have only taken more and more as this process has gone on. It's ridiculous and exhausting and asinine.</p>
<p>Also, "too close to the end of the transfer window?" Come on. Napoli showed with Vlad Chiriches that you can get a deal for a defender done at a good price in a hurry. That took, what, four days from start to finish? Sure, Napoli would have done some scouting and preliminary checking before making a formal bid, but you can't seriously suggest that Torino haven't done the same first-step process on a dozen defenders by now.</p>
<p>Napoli should just walk away and focus on acquiring another center back. This one isn't going to happen. Be nice if it did, but it won't. Good thing those "sure, take him" loans for two years of Omar El Kaddouri that really helped Torino compete at a high level built up <i>so</i> much good will and partnership between the clubs.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/8/15/9159939/cairo-declares-nikola-maksimovic-not-join-napoli-transfer-torinoConor Dowley2015-08-13T21:30:07+02:002015-08-13T21:30:07+02:00Conflicting reports that defender demands transfer
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<p>Napoli may have just been handed a big boost in their pursuit of their top defensive target. Or not. It's hard to say, thanks to the loyalties of the papers involved.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Napoli</a> have spent much of their summer chasing after <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino" class="sbn-auto-link">Torino's</a> Nikola Maksimovic. In point of fact, the pursuit's gotten to be pretty tiring. Napoli make an offer, Torino raise their asking price. Napoli make another offer, they raise it again.</p>
<p>And so on and so on and so on and so on. It's old and tiring and annoying as hell. Urbano Cairo has long been known as tough to negotiate with, but this has gone past the pale of ridiculousness, with Torino's chairman still demanding a simply ludicrous fee of €25 million for the defender.</p>
<p>Things might soon be coming to a head, though: there are reports, originating with <i>Corriere dello Sport</i>, that Maksimovic has gone to Torino's leadership and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/napoli/2015/08/13-3179592/napoli_maksimovic_corre_verso_sarri/">asked them to accept a bid</a> from Napoli because he wants to join the <i>partenopei</i> to better grow as a player. If true, this could finally help break the deadlock and get a deal done, much to the delight of Napoli fans.</p>
<p>Of course, that might not be the case: another Italian paper, <i>Tuttosport</i>, is refuting that claim, saying that <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tuttosport.com%2Fnews%2Fcalcio%2Fserie-a%2Ftorino%2Fcalciomercato%2F2015%2F08%2F13-3180078%2Fmaksimovic_e_bruno_peres_un_toro_che_cambia_la_linea%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesirenssong.com%2Fcalciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors%2F2015%2F8%2F13%2F9149317%2Fnikola-maksimovic-transfer-rumor-napoli-torino-request-move" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Maksimovic has <i>not</i> asked to leave</a>. There's not much middle ground here -- either he asked to leave, or he hasn't. That's black-or-white, heads-or-tails.</p>
<p>The papers themselves that are doing the reporting only muddy the waters on the issue. <i>Corriere</i> has long-known ties to Napoli, and are frequently the first major paper with accurate news related to the club. <i>Tuttosport</i> are based in Turin and have a similar relationship with both Torino and Juventus. That means both papers are going to report news in a matter that makes their "preferred" clubs look good, or at least the news leaked to them by the clubs is going to be spun in a positive light.</p>
<p>Normally that's fine, and the spin can be filtered out and avoided with ease, but in a situation like this, where two involved papers are taking diametrically opposed stances, it's tough to know where the truth lies. Normally the answer would be "somewhere in the middle," but again, there <i>is</i> no middle ground on this one. Either Maksimovic asked out, or he didn't. There's no third option.</p>
<p>An already confusing and annoying transfer saga has just gotten all the more confusing and annoying. Hopefully we get <i>some</i> kind of certainty to it soon, but man, as much as it'd be nice to see Napoli buy another defender as talented as Maksimovic, it'd also be nice to see them go after someone <i>else </i>at that talent level.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/8/13/9149317/nikola-maksimovic-transfer-rumor-napoli-torino-request-moveConor Dowley2015-08-04T21:30:53+02:002015-08-04T21:30:53+02:00Maksimovic chase persists despite Torino insanity
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<figcaption>At least Napoli are working on their handsomeness quota after signing a few goofy lookin' dudes. | Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Napoli have reportedly lodged a new bid in their efforts to sign Torino's Serbian defender -- now we wait to see if they raise their asking price for the umpteenth time.</p> <p>We've been hearing the same song for weeks now: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/">Napoli</a> really, really, really want to add Nikola Maksimovic to their defense, but <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino">Torino</a> don't want to sell him. They set a high asking price for him, Napoli meet it, then Torino says "wait no nevermind" and raises it. Then Napoli meets it again and wash, rinse, repeat.</p>
<p>Torino raised the bar to mind-staggeringly stupid heights on Monday, with club chairman Urbano Cairo apparently <a href="https://twitter.com/ManuBaio/status/628325542543118336" target="_blank">asking for <i>twenty-five million euros</i></a> -- spelled out in its entirety because holy s#!% that's a lot of money for Maksimovic -- in order to part with the Serbian player. That was a steep rise from previously reported fees being negotiated for Maksimovic, and was met with all proper shock and hilarity from the Twitter sphere.</p>
<p>Napoli were apparently not deterred by that demand, however. Sky Italia reports that they've <a href="http://gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/napoli-pressing-su-maksimovic-incontro-e-nuova-offerta-i-dettagli/" target="_blank">lodged a new bid of €18 million</a> including bonuses -- the base fee for which has not been reported. Depending on the structure of the base fee and the potential bonuses, that could be a very good deal for Napoli -- but it's one that Torino would still have to accept, which recent history suggests they wouldn't.</p>
<p>There's an interesting wrinkle in that Sky report, though: apparently Maksimovic's agent is going to be meeting with Cairo in order to try to talk him into <i>accepting</i> that bid. That has to make Cristiano Giuntoli and company feel good about their odds of actually landing Maksimovic, finally bringing some optimism into a deal that's long been frustrating.</p>
<p>Maksimovic would be a fantastic purchase in terms of his skills and what he'd bring to the team. At the full price of €18 million being mooted it would probably be an overpay, but again, that depends on what the actual base fee is and what triggers the bonuses.</p>
<p>This rumor maybe, <i>maybe</i>, represents promise and hope and progress in a potential Maksimovic transfer. That's something we've been waiting on for a long time -- now we have to wait and see what actually comes of it, if anything. Don't hold your breath.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/8/4/9095867/nikola-maksimovic-napoli-transfer-rumor-torino-18-million-offer-meetingConor Dowley2015-07-27T20:00:15+02:002015-07-27T20:00:15+02:00Napoli beat Fiorentina, closing on Spurs defender
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<p>After Torino refused all notion of parting with Nikola Maksimovic, Napoli have moved on to a target who would give them some small measure of revenge over Fiorentina for a recent slight. </p> <p><a href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Napoli</a> have been hoping for a few weeks now that they could find a way to land Nikola Maksimovic from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino" class="sbn-auto-link">Torino</a>, but after their president declared that Maksimovic would not be sold this summer under any circumstances, it's probably time to find a new target. Apparently, they've done just that, moving quickly to secure the signing of an experienced center back who <i>also</i> lets Napoli get a little bit of revenge in the process.</p>
<p>That target is <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tottenham Hotspur</a> center back <span>Vlad Chiriches</span>, who on Sunday morning looked bound to join <a href="https://www.violanation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Fiorentina</a> on a one-year loan with an option to buy. After Fiorentina helped blow up the <span>Davide Astori</span> transfer, though, <span>Aurelio De Laurentiis</span> wasn't having any of that, and Napoli opened their own negotiations with the English club for Chiriches. In fact, in a matter of hours, things have gone from Fiorentina being expected to sign Chiriches, to Napoli having him all but locked up, with the player supposedly set to come to Italy on Tuesday to finalize his transfer.</p>
<p>Details as to what the deal would entail are still scarce, but there's now a report that Napoli <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AlfredoPedulla/status/625720122162966528">might be buying him outright</a> for €6 million, as opposed to the loan-with-purchase-option that Fiorentina wanted. If that figure seems familiar, it should -- it's the same fee Napoli were going to pay <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/cagliari" class="sbn-auto-link">Cagliari</a> for Astori before that deal blew up.</p>
<p>Talent-wise, this deal would be ... odd. Chiriches is 25, and probably roughly equivalent to Astori in terms of his current level of quality. He's got the athletic skills to pull off some pretty impressive things, but at Tottenham he showed all the tactical discipline of a lemoncake and was prone to some hilariously catastrophic mistakes, especially with Spurs played a high line. So that's not great. But he has a <i>lot</i> more upside than Astori offers, and the Romanian international could become quite good with the right coaching regimen, which is supposedly Sarri's specialty.</p>
<p>This deal is a little strange and kind of came out of nowhere, so it's hard to digest at the moment. It's a high-risk, high-reward type of deal, which is often good to try, especially for a relatively low fee as is being mooted. Even if Chiriches <i>does</i> sign, though, you have to hope Napoli sign one other defender that offers a bit more guaranteed quality -- though if this is just a near-miss deal that Napoli won't finish and is meant entirely to screw Fiorentina out of a signing, then job well done.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/7/27/9048175/maksimovic-ruled-out-chiriches-tottenham-hotspurConor Dowley2015-07-27T01:28:41+02:002015-07-27T01:28:41+02:00Napoli look to new targets as Astori deal crumbles
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<p>It's looking more and more like Davide Astori won't be a Napoli player, so the club is working on new deals for central defenders, including Brazilian starlet Doria.</p> <p>OK, this is officially annoying. Now, <span>Davide Astori</span> isn't just flirting with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> after re-joining training with Serie B side <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/cagliari">Cagliari</a>, apparently <a href="http://www.football-italia.net/69729/astori-offered-juventus" target="_blank">he's now been offered</a> to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/">Juventus</a>, perhaps even at his behest.</p>
<p>Screw that noise.</p>
<p>Apparently <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/">Napoli</a> are annoyed too, because they've all but pulled out of the already agreed transfer thanks to Astori hemming and hawing and waffling and trying to find other options. One of them is Nikola Maksimovic, who <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino">Torino</a> are loathe to give up but Napoli have showed significant interest in and even determination to make him a <i>partenopei</i> star. He would cost a lot, but the young Serbian is very talented and could be a big help to Napoli both this year and over the next few.</p>
<p>There's also been talk of Napoli making an offer for <span>Alessio Romagnoli</span>, the Roma starlet who drew rave reviews while on loan at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sampdoria">Sampdoria</a> last season. Napoli have supposedly offered Roma €28 million plus bonuses, but even if they accept the bid, they'd still have to convince Romagnoli to sign, who has continuously stated a preference to join <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://acmilan.theoffside.com/">AC Milan</a> and former Samp boss Sinisa Mihajlovic, an interest that seems to be reciprocated by the <i>rossoneri</i>.</p>
<p>Despite all that domestic trouble, though, Napoli have recently been linked to a player from abroad who is <i>very</i> intriguing and who could make a fantastic signing: Olympique Marseille's Doria.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/calcio-mercato/2015/07/26-2699418/napoli_doria_la_nuova_pista_per_il_centrale/" target="_blank">Corriere dello Sport</a>, Napoli have turned their attention to the 20 year old Brazilian wonderkid, who just moved to France a year ago after starring for Botafogo for two years as a teenager. Doria never played a minute for Marseille, however, as he and Marco Bielsa apparently never got along, and the eccentric Argentine coach never wanted to give the defender a chance.</p>
<p>That's something that just happens with Bielsa sometimes, so it's not a major concern, and when Doria was loaned to São Paulo in January, he responded by dominating Brazil's top division some more, playing every minute of the nine league matches he was available for, and starring in four Copa Libertadores group stage matches that saw his side give up just three goals to two of the top teams in South America. São Paulo are in financial turmoil and couldn't afford their purchase clause, though, so when the loan expired at the end of June Doria had to return to France to a coach who still doesn't want him.</p>
<p>That's opened the door for Napoli to maybe step in. Doria is young, big, freakishly athletic, and has a strong base of technical skills to build on. That sounds like a pretty perfect mix for Maurizio Sarri to play with, and if Napoli could get him to live up to even a fraction of his potential, they could have a <i>star</i> on their hands -- <i>if</i> they can sign him. There's been no word yet on a potential fee, but with him being out of Marseille's plans, as long as they get their €7 million investment back plus maybe a little extra, the French club will probably be happy. Unless they get greedy. Always possible, that.</p>
<p>This is a rumor in its very earliest stages, but man is it an exciting one to consider. Signing Doria would be a coup for Napoli, and if there's any chance this is a Real Thing, Napoli absolutely have to pursue it.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/2015/7/27/9042207/davide-astori-transfer-problems-napoli-target-maksimovic-doria-romagnoliConor Dowley2015-07-17T04:33:52+02:002015-07-17T04:33:52+02:00Astori won't be Napoli's only defensive purchase
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<p>Just because Napoli are poised to sign Davide Astori doesn't mean he's the only central defender they're going to acquire this summer.</p> <p>Despite issues securing his release from a Puma sponsorship in order to hold his image rights, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thesirenssong.com/">Napoli</a> still appear to be on course to sign <span>Davide Astori</span>. The club seems optimistic about tying up the deal soon, and if current reports are to be believed, it sounds like <a href="http://www.tuttonapoli.net/calciomercato/cmcom-una-mail-blocca-l-arrivo-di-astori-il-difensore-resta-in-attesa-240318" target="_blank">they're just a few formalities away</a> from having everything wrapped up and finalized.</p>
<p>That said, many fans have seemed somewhat disheartened by Napoli going after Astori. After all, he's not that great, and has struggled mightily over the past two seasons, especially last year when he was on loan at Roma. I come bearing good news, however: Astori is <i>not</i> the only central defender Napoli are aiming to sign this summer.</p>
<p>Despite some misgivings over price earlier in the summer, Napoli have made approaches for both Daniele Rugani of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/">Juventus</a> and <span>Alessio Romagnoli</span> of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/">AS Roma</a>. The pair are considered the top two young Italian defenders around, and have an awfully bright future ahead of them -- if Napoli can get either one of them after the excellent seasons they had on loan at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/empoli">Empoli</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sampdoria">Sampdoria</a>, respectively, it would be a big boon for their defense.</p>
<p>Napoli have reportedly had <a href="http://www.tuttonapoli.net/calciomercato/gazzetta-la-juventus-respinge-l-offerta-del-napoli-da-22mln-per-rugani-240247" target="_blank">an offer of €22 million for Rugani</a> rebuffed by Juventus with a reply of "we're not selling him, sorry," while<a href="http://gianlucadimarzio.com/calciomercato/retroscena-romagnoli-no-della-roma-a-una-super-offerta-del-napoli/" target="_blank"> a €28 million bid for Romagnoli</a> was turned down with Roma demanding at least €30 million for the 20 year old. With both Arsenal and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://acmilan.theoffside.com/">AC Milan</a> after Romagnoli as well, Napoli will need to step up their efforts if they really want him -- even if it is a <i>lot</i> of money for a young defender, his pure talent at least seems to be worth the effort.</p>
<p>They're also hot on the trail of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino">Torino</a> defender Nikola Maksimovic, a 23 year old Serbian international who played a lot of high-quality football for Turin's second team last season. He only joined Torino from Red Star Belgrade a year ago and the club would rather keep him in the wake of Matteo Darmian's departure, but <i>il Toro</i> chairman Urbano Cairo is willing to let the defender go for the right price. Napoli have <a href="http://gianlucadimarzio.com/news-cat/maksimovic-lagente-a-colloquio-con-napoli-e-torino-la-situazione/" target="_blank">reportedly offered €12 million</a> plus unspecified bonuses, but Torino are holding out for a base price at least three million higher.</p>
<p>There's always the chance that all of this is paper talk, but with this many rumors linking Napoli to fairly believable news, there's at least hope that something positive can come out of it. All three are talented defenders who would be a big boost to Napoli's group of central defenders, and would be well worth getting excited about any of them signing. Contrary to popular opinion, not all is doom and gloom at the San Paolo right now.</p>
https://www.thesirenssong.com/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/7/17/8982555/davide-astori-transfer-progress-maksimovic-torino-romagnoli-roma-rugani-juventus-targetConor Dowley