Former Napoli defender Ciro Ferrara has defended Lorenzo Insigne over his plans to move to Toronto FC.
Insigne is set to join Toronto as his contract expires in June.
Ferrara said, “Lorenzo I've known since he was a kid, I coached him in the Under-21 team, I know how serious he is. And I know that, whatever happens, he will give everything he has in these next five months. He might miss a game, even two, but it will be in the natural order of things.
“Let's put things into perspective, there's a club that, legitimately, makes choices, led by a businessman who has to make ends meet, and then there's a player who has to make other choices, he's 31 years old, he's his own manager."
He added: “There are other motivations. The choice of life, the desire to get back into the game, the possibility of the children growing up learning languages and getting to know the world. It's a total change of life.
“And in any case, when it's over, there's no reason to find fault or to engage in petty moralising, Lorenzo gave and received, and Napoli too. Then, there were, I suppose, those silences that were decisive in pulling away. But no one should give lessons."
