Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City are all eyeing in-demand Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz, report The Guardian.
City are said to be sending scouts to watch him take on Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
“I paid €30m for Fabián and he’s a fantastic player. If some of the European top clubs were to offer €180m we can start talking about selling him,” Napoli chairman, Aurelio De Laurentiis is cited as saying.
It is claimed that the Blaugrana’s director of football Eric Abidal went to Italy last month to watch the Naples-based side play Lecce and scout the midfielder.
A subsequent report in El Mundo Deportivo claimed that that Barca value the player’s ‘timing of runs, presence and touch of the ball’ and see him as the ideal candidate for strengthening the midfield.
The club are uncertain over the long-term futures of central midfielders Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Sergio Busquets.
Fabian received his first senior Spain cap in June and impressed in his debut Serie A season – scoring seven goals and providing three assists – following a €30m transfer from Real Betis last summer.
This follows a summer report in Diario AS which claimed Real Madrid were interested in a summer transfer for the midfielder.
The 23-year-old is said by Napoli to be ‘non-transferable’ but the report adds that they will listen to ‘juicy offers’ for the player and could be seduced by bids in excess of €70m.
