Nikola Maksimovic has told Napoli Magazine he would run back to Napoli, even if it meant taking a pay cut, despite attracting interest from West Ham United and Crystal Palace.
Maksimovic remains on the market after leaving the Serie A side at the end of his £38,000-per-week contract in June. He is training daily to maintain his fitness, but will not rush into joining a club if the Azzurri’s interested.
West Ham were the favourites to sign Maksimovic on a free transfer last month, according to the Mirror. David Moyes wants new central defensive options, with TuttoMercatoWEB reporting the Irons are confident of signing Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic.
Corriere dello Sport journalist Antonio Giordano also claimed in June West Ham and Crystal Palace made Maksimovic offers since leaving Napoli. Real Betis and Sevilla also wanted the 29-year-old on a free, but all four could now be out of luck.
Maksimovic would accept a pay cut to return to Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli, despite West Ham and Crystal Palace’s interest. The Serbian spent five years at the Naples outfit after joining from Torino, and made 99 appearances. Now, he longs for appearance #100.
“Napoli? I would run back, I feel at home there,” Maksimovic said. “The city has welcomed me and my family in a big way. We have made friends that will remain strong for life. My children are acquired Neapolitans and do well in the schools they attend.
“If Napoli wants, I am ready to make myself available to find an agreement and continue together. Is Napoli missing a central defender? I am there. I respect Spalletti and I would like to work with him, he is an experienced coach who takes great care of the details.”
West Ham and Crystal Palace to miss out on former Napoli star Maksimovic?
Maksimovic’s comments would suggest he has little to no interest in joining West Ham or Crystal Palace as he holds out for a return to Napoli. Both have made the Serbian offers, but it is the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona outfit that hold his heartstrings.
Cash is not the deciding factor for Maksimovic, either, if he is willing to agree a compromise to re-join Napoli. Moyes, then, will have to hope West Ham can finalise an agreement with Fiorentina for Milenkovic.
Patrick Vieira, meanwhile, may look elsewhere to strengthen the Crystal Palace defence. A unit very different to the one Roy Hodgson left, with Scott Dann joining Gary Cahill and Mamadou Sakho in leaving. While Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen have already joined.
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