Chelsea hoping Benitez at Napoli will not wreck Cavani bid
Long term transfer target Edinson Cavani is reportedly top of the list this summer as Roman Abramovich looks set to open his chequebook once again this summer. Cavani, the 26 year old goal-scoring machine, has been at Napoli for three seasons where he has netted an incredible 104 goals in just 138 appearances. The Uruguayan has long been admired by many of Europe’s top clubs, but we look to be the first to make a big move this summer in the hope of beating other big spenders like Man City to his signature. However, there may be one big unknown in this situation – Rafa Benitez.
Benitez looks set to be officially named as the new Napoli boss in the next 24 hours. Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is an extremely difficult man to predict, and by all accounts difficult to work for as well, but it seems Benitez is willing to take on the massive task. Abramovich will be hoping that Benitez will be more willing to discuss terms with the team he just won a Europa League with, but it is difficult to understand just how Benitez feels about Chelsea.
Rafa did not have an easy time at Stamford Bridge. Many fans were extremely vocal in their distaste and dislike at his appointment, and they never warmed to him. The fact of the matter is that Benitez actually did a very good job in his short time at Chelsea. He managed to win back some of the power from the dressing room, navigate a dreadful fixture schedule while keeping his major players fit, and ended the season comfortably in 3rd position with a Europa League to his name. If Roberto Di Matteo had only come in when Rafa did and achieved the same results, he would be considered a hero. Unfortunately for Benitez, his reputation preceded him, and the fans never gave him a chance.
This may have left Rafa with a bad taste in his mouth, and it would be understandable if he would rather not do us any favours. At this time, it’s guesswork as to how open he is to doing business with Roman, but we must hope that his relationship with our board remains strong. Cavani at Chelsea would be an incredible signing, and one that would strike fear in to every team across Europe. As far as strikers go, Cavani is the genuine article, and we should be moving heaven and earth to land him. Fingers crossed.
absolute crap. rafa will have no influence whatsoever on where cavani goes!
You couldn’t blame him if he tried after the players didn’t even mention him after last game
benitez tried… U are a big fool 2 say dat.if u dont have anything doing,u better sleep away ur time.
Chelsea need cavani very badly, the season showed how good the side was at creating chances, but you can only expect midfielders to come and score goals for you for so long. He’s probably the best available striker at the time, and if you’ve seen any of his work, he’s outstanding. The thing about him, more than Falcao or Torres is that he is in the sort of mould that fits Chelsea’s game. Basically if he’s given the ball near the box, he can fight and convert based on nothing more than skill and brute strength, almost like a more lethal version of Drogba.
And as for Rafa, I doubt he can really influence the dealing, Napoli is as closed off a club as Chelsea is management wise. But if he does harbour grudges, he’s justified. The behaviour he had to put up with was terrible. And please realise that Di Mateo is nowhere near the manager Benitez is. Under his charge, the team would have just imploded this season.