Napoli manager Rafael Benítez has admitted that the future of midfield target Marouane Fellaini is out of his control, and is still in the hands of current employers Manchester United. Fellaini has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford following a disastrous first season having been brought in as David Moyes' star acquisition, with Louis van Gaal keen to cash in on the Belgium international.
There have been rumours linking Fellaini with a loan move to Naples and, though van Gaal has said he will speak to those members of the squad he wishes to move on, Benítez was reluctant to talk about another side's player in a press conference:
“He's not one of our players, his future does not depend on us, but on Manchester United. I think about working with the players I have.”
Should the Fellaini move fail, Napoli had also been linked with a move for Barcelona man Javier Mascherano, who impressed for Argentina at the World Cup. Benítez has worked with Mascherano before, during his time in the Premier League with Liverpool, but he has admitted defeat in his pursuit of the midfielder-turned defender:
“This (possibility) is closed. I spoke with Javier and his agent but Luis Enrique has great respect for him and I understood that it was not possible to take him.”
Napoli have been fairly quiet in the transfer market so far this summer bringing in only Michu, Kalidou Koulibaly and Mariano Andújar but Benítez is keen to add to his squad before the start of the new season. Napoli kick off their new campaign at Genoa at the end of August, looking to challenge for the Scudetto having finished second last year.