Manchester City transfer news: Jorginho move hits speedbump and Napoli reject £44m bid

City had hoped to announce the deal next week although it now looks unlikely

Manchester City’s pursuit of Napoli midfielder Jorginho has hit somewhat of a roadblock after the club’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed he has rejected a £44m bid.

The Italian has drawn a number of admiring gazes from Europe’s top clubs as his form helped Napoli run Juventus all the way in Serie A this season, but City emerged as the most likely suitors following talks between the three parties.

City were hoping to announce the midfielder next week, once Italy had concluded their end-of-season friendlies, but now that has been put in serious doubt as De Laurentiis is proving increasingly tough to negotiate with.

There are fears that a bidding war may now formulate the longer De Laurentiis remains stubborn, with The Independent reporting this week that Chelsea could be interested, but they want to sort out their managerial situation first.

“Jorginho? I have refused an offer from Man City worth €45m (£39m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses,” he told Corriere dello Sport.

Pep Guardiola wants to strengthen his midfield, finding a long-term replacement for Yaya Toure and, eventually, Fernandinho this off-season. Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund and Fred of Shakhtar Donetsk were both players considered, with City even lodging a bid for Fred in January, but their thinking has changed in the spring and Jorginho, a Brazilian-born Italy international, is now their first choice. Fred is expected to join cross-town rivals Manchester United.

De Laurentiis wants Jorginho to stay – or at least wrangle all he can out of Manchester City – as he admitted that playmaker Marek Hamsik could leave the club for China, and that he won’t stand in his captain’s way.

“If Hamsik wants to go to China, we won't stop him,” he added. “But how much will they give?”