Newcastle United offered to triple Fabian Ruiz’s wages in the January transfer window but the Napoli star turned down a Premier League move to stay at the Serie A challengers, as reported by Corriere dello Sport.
Is there a better left foot in Italian football?
Striding onto a nicely-placed pass at the edge of the penalty area, Ruiz wrapped his boot around the ball and whipped a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner of the Lazio net.
If Napoli do claim the Scudetto for the first time since sepia-tinged Diego Maradona’s heyday, Ruiz’s 94th minute winner at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night will go down as one of the most important hits of a ball in the club’s history.
That last gasp win lifted Luciano Spalletti’s side to the top of the table, leapfrogging AC Milan in the process. So, with a place in the Stadio San Paolo history books in his sights, no wonder Ruiz opted to stay.
Will Fabian Ruiz leave Napoli a Serie A champion?
Money isn’t everything after all.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Newcastle offered to triple Ruiz’s wages at St James’ Park.
But the silky Spain international turned down a money-spinning £100,000-a-week, £5 million-a-year deal in favour of securing a long-awaited domestic title in the baby blue of Napoli.
“Fabian Ruiz reminds me of (former Real Madrid great Fernando) Redondo,” ex-Italy international Antonio Nocerino said after his stunning, stoppage-time winner at Lazio.
“He shifts the balance (of the play), he has incredible quality and I’m happy that he’s doing well.”
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Ruiz looks destined to depart in the summer window, having turned down the chance to extend a contract that expires in 2023. In addition to Newcastle, Arsenal have held talks with the former Real Betis talisman (Mirror).
But when the time comes for Ruiz to depart, he could go a title-winning, Scudetto-securing, modern-day Napoli legend.
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