Jose Mourinho’s interest in Edinson Cavani is on the wane after Paris St Germain (PSG) tabled a £43m bid for the Napoli striker.
It is reported that Chelsea will step up their pursuit of Wayne Rooney and Robert Lewandowski as club owner Roman Abramovich does not want to be dragged into a bidding war for the striker even though the French champions are still £11m short of triggering Cavani’s release clause.
Many have raised eyebrows at Napoli for setting the Uruguayan’s release clause at such an exorbitant price. Even Manchester City seems to be backing out on the player who is reported to be keen on the move to Real Madrid.
Meeting Cavani’s £250,000 a week wage demand is not an issue for the west London club, but the club owner is reported to be wary of another massive investment in a 26-year-old after his ordeal with Fernando Torres.
Abramovich smashed the British transfer record when he paid Liverpool £50m for the then 26-year-old Torres in January 2011 and his market value has dropped rapidly since his form suffered after the move.
The likes of Rooney, 27, and Lewandowski, 24, will be available for smaller fees, bearing in mind United’s imminent unwillingness to strengthen a rival team in the title race. Pending the outcome of Rooney and David Moyes talk, Chelsea will keep pressing the tab on the England international who handed the league champions his transfer request at the end of last season.
Lewandowski has also made known his willingness to move away from Borrusia Dortmund, keen on following teammate Mario Goetze to Bayern Munich before his transfer request was ruled out.
Real Madrid is thought to be Cavani’s preferred destination if he is to leave Napoli this summer. However, the big money bid from PSG might just have put off Chelsea in the chase for Cavani.
