Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea were all linked with Ezequiel Lavezzi, who has signed for PSG.
Transfer prices 18 months ago went wild. Andy Carroll £35 million, Darren Bent £24 million, and Fernando Torres at £50 million.
They may have calmed a bit since then, but ‘super agent’ Mino Raiolo took talk to new levels last week when he valued Mario Balotelli at £200 million.
Hyperbole? Perhaps, but when a player moves for a bargain price, even nowadays it is still easy to spot.
The £24 million French runners-up PSG are hot favourites to win Ligue One next season, and signing Ezequiel Lavezzi should shorten their odds further.
Lavezzi was one of Napoli’s ‘Three Tenors’ along with Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani, who impressed in last season’s Champions League, taking four points off Manchester City in the group stages and almost knocking Chelsea out.
Argentine Lavezzi, 27, was the star of the show at the Stadio San Paolo in February when Napoli beat Chelsea 3-1, scoring twice.
The attacker can play as a left-winger, out and out striker, or in the number 10 role in behind. He scored 12 goals and provided 8 assists last season as Napoli finished fifth.
With Napoli finishing short of the Champions League places in Serie A, holding onto their star men was always going to be a big challenge.
Manchester City were linked, as were Chelsea, and even Liverpool. Liverpool would likely have been unable to afford the wages PSG were offering, while Chelsea are after younger stars and have signed Eden Hazard and Marko Marin – both who can play on the left side.
City could have afforded his wages, but they seemingly did not want to get into a bidding war with the French side, whose ambition is at a real high after missing out on the league this year.
Lavezzi represents a bargain, who can win them the title. There will be a number of high profile and expensive transfers this summer, but none may have quite the effect and quality of the Argentine.
The marker has been laid down to the big clubs, £24 million may appear to be an expensive bargain, but it should be money well spent.
Watch Lavezzi in action…
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image: © Vincent Teeuwen
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