‘He is convinced’: £15m man’s father rules out reported Arsenal switch

Follow us on Google Discover

Andrea Petagna will not be joining Arsenal this summer, with the Italian international’s father making it clear that his future lies at Napoli, while speaking to Si Gonfia La Rete.

A square-shouldered, 6ft 2ins bull of a centre-forward, it is fair to say this 25-year-old has a lot more in common with Marouane Chamakh and Olivier Giroud than he does with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Thierry Henry.

Petagna is the sort of old-school number nine who thrives not only with his back to goal but against adversity too.

The former Atalanta and Milan youngster scored 12 times in Serie A last season, even as his SPAL side were relegated.

So he was never going to give up his Napoli career without a fight.

Napoli paid £15 million to sign Petagna as recently as January before loaning him back to SPAL for the remainder of the campaign, although Gennaro Gattuso’s side are already courting interest from a man yet to make his Partenopei debut.

Calciomercato named Arsenal as an interested suitor in August.

But, according to reports coming out of Naples, the Coppa Italia champions have rejected offers from the Premier League as they see the one-time Azzurri international as a key part of their plans going forward (CalcioNapoli24).

Petagna Sr has now backed up those claims.

“Has Andrea been convinced to stay at Napoli? I believe that he is convinced or in any case has had some reassurances about it,” says Petagna’s father.

“Clearly, we are not very pleased to see that everyone rushes to write otherwise. Andrea wants to start this adventure and, frankly, he doesn’t complain.

“I’m very happy that he can work with a coach like Gattuso who has quality from a technical and human point of view. He will make him grow.”

Petagna could be tasked with replacing rangy Polish international Arkadiusz Milik at the Stadio San Paolo.

Gattuso, sporting director Cristiano Guintoli and president Aurelio de Laurentiis have all confirmed recently that Milik has no future at Napoli after rejecting the chance to extend a contract which expires in 2021.