The brother and agent of Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain says he won't be signing a new deal.
Nicolas Higuain also hit out at Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis over his lack of ambition.
“There was talk of a project worthy of the Champions League, a convincing plan to fight for the Scudetto," the agent said on Radio Crc. “This year we finished the first half of the season in first place, but the club made zero effort because we didn't see them make major signings to fight for the Scudetto.
“The President [Aurelio De Laurentiis] has the right to ask for his [€94m] release clause, and we have the right not to agree with the project and not renew the contract, that's only right.
“Maybe the club is looking to bring in young prospects, but we believe they should make the effort to bring in players who can compete with Juventus, who have won the Scudetto for five years in a row. It seems to me that the direction the club is taking, while respectable, is not the right one to battle with Juve. You can't do that and you can't make the Champions League with youngsters.
“If an offer comes in? It all depends on De Laurentiis, he'd have to accept it. We're convinced not to renew the contract, then we'll see if the President accepts an offer lower than the clause. Gonzalo, in sporting terms, has very different ideas to the club at the moment. They still want to buy young players with potential, but we want to win!
“In my opinion, De Laurentiis is a great manager of the club, they have excellent balance sheets.
“The problem is, as a football person, when I take a Coach like [Maurizio] Sarri who leads me to first place at the end of the first half of the season, and I see that a team like Juve - with a structure and better players - are catching up, you have to make the effort to get two good players to fight to the end. The club didn't respond.
“I haven't talked to Sarri, but I think he made requests to strengthen the team. Maybe my thinking is at odds with Napoli, or maybe we should be content with finishing second and playing in the Champions League, but we want to win.
“We had to endure De Laurentiis calling Gonzalo 'chiattone' [fat/chubby] in a delicate moment of the season, and certain things are hard to let go of.
“There's no meeting scheduled with the Napoli President, and what I'm saying today is stuff I've told him before so I'm not saying anything that De Laurentiis doesn't know.
“Gonzalo doesn't know if he'll join up with the team in Dimaro [for pre-season training] or reach Naples later.
“This city is always in my heart, I admire and respect it, as does my brother. We love the fans, and this relationship of love isn't the problem. The problem is football, and we have to think of a project which will allow this team to make a good impression in the Champions League."
Does this mean Higuain could join Paris Saint-Germain, since Zlatan Ibrahimovic has left?
“I've never spoken with other clubs about Gonzalo as a matter of respect. I've been in Argentina for a month, but I've also been in Paris because I have other French clients and friends in football.
“Now people see me everywhere, they even said I was with [Liverpool manager Jurgen] Klopp but there's no truth in that.
“I don't need to talk with the Parisian club about my brother, if PSG want him they should call De Laurentiis."
