Cavani price absurd, admits De Laurentiis

Posted Tuesday, July 16, 2013 by Goal.com

The Napoli president is shocked that PSG are willing to pay around €63 million for the striker and joked about how much he is set to get for the striker

Paris Saint-Germain's offer for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani is absurdly high, according to the Italian club's president Antonio de Laurentiis.

The Uruguay international has scored over 20 goals in each of the past three Serie A seasons and carried Napoli to second place in 2012-13, earning them a spot in the Champions League group stage.

PSG are expected to announce the deal's completion on Tuesday, though De Laurentiis has claimed that he would have refused to sell the 26-year-old to the Ligue 1 champions if there was not already a €63 million contract clause in place.

"Without Cavani's clause, I would not have considered selling him," De Laurentiis told reporters. "It is a matter of principle. You cannot buy everything because it’s not good on an ethical level.

"The problem with these clubs is that they are owned by businesses that are run by presidents who will pay absurd figures.

"As for Cavani, each year I had to increase his price. It got so high, to a point where it was more than what Bayern Munich made for winning the Champions League.

"Then he began telling me he wanted to leave, so I told him to put forth the release clause. I’m sure Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea would never have spent €63m."