Florentino Pérez Explores Napoli star in Conversation with Napoli President

Florentino Pérez and Aurelio di Laurentiis enjoyed the Real Madrid vs. Napoli Champions League match from the Santiago Bernabéu’s executive box, a customary setting for the Madrid president to connect with dignitaries from other European clubs.

It’s typical for Florentino Pérez to engage in friendly conversations, even during matches, with visiting club presidents or high-ranking officials at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Madrid chief has always been an executive who closely follows and discusses games with rival directors, aiming to make them feel comfortable in what might seem like ‘hostile territory.’

Florentino Pérez continued this tradition with Aurelio di Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, during the Champions League fixture between the Spanish and Italian clubs. Despite the match ending in a victory for Real Madrid, both leaders entered into a significant dialogue that covered various important topics.

During the conversation, Florentino Pérez seized the opportunity to mention one of Napoli’s most renowned players, Víctor Osimhen. Many were surprised not to see the Nigerian striker in the starting lineup, but Di Laurentiis clarified the situation: Osimhen was recovering from a complicated injury, and Walter Mazzarri, Napoli’s new coach, chose not to risk his physical well-being by starting him in a demanding match.

Seizing an Opportunity With this discussion arising when the African forward began warming up during halftime, Florentino Pérez attempted to probe the potential transfer of Napoli’s star player. Di Laurentiis quickly recognized this move and asserted that Osimhen is one of the standout figures for the Italian side, setting an initial asking price equal to or exceeding 100 million euros.

Beyond this brief exchange, Florentino Pérez now has new insights, obtained directly from the club president, to inform the strategic planning for the upcoming season. One of the primary objectives for the Real Madrid board is reportedly securing a new ‘number 9’ to fill the void left by Karim Benzema’s departure to Saudi Arabia.

Source: Defensa Central