ESPN
Manchester City are unlikely to do business with Napoli again after they pulled out of an agreement for midfielder Jorginho, sources have told ESPN FC.
The Italy international was a top target for Pep Guardiola but has now joined Chelsea on a five-year deal worth around €60 million.
City believe that Jorginho, 26, preferred a switch to the Premier League champions despite claims from Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis that he would rather move to London.
As recently as Thursday, Jorginho told City that he preferred to join them, but sources told ESPN FC he was “bullied” into a move to Chelsea with the threat of being forced to see out the remaining two years of his contract with Napoli.
A £43m transfer fee was agreed between De Laurentiis and City last month, but Napoli reneged on that deal, leaving club hierarchy stunned.
Chelsea have since sacked manager Antonio Conte and appointed former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri, with Jorginho becoming his first signing.
City refused to match Chelsea’s offer and walked away from the deal just as they refused to match demands they saw as excessive during the January transfer window, including deals for Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Fred — both of whom joined Manchester United.
Leicester City also wanted around £95 million for winger Riyad Mahrez in January, and City finally signed him last week in a deal for £60m.
Mahrez and Jorginho were City’s two top summer targets, and they now have less than a month to sign a replacement for Yaya Toure, who left on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic and Southampton’s Mario Lemina have been linked as potential alternatives.