Carlo Ancelotti’s hopes of reuniting with Hirving Lozano at Everton appear dashed after SSC Napoli Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli discussed the Mexican’s future at the San Paolo Stadium.
Ancelotti was at the helm of the Serie A side last summer when they purchased Lozano from PSV Eindhoven for a club-record €40million (£35.2m), but the forward has failed to replicate the performances he produced in the Netherlands.
Having arrived in Italy following a 17-goal, 11-assist campaign in the Dutch top-flight, Lozano has managed to find the back of the net just three times and create a further two strikes in all competitions.
His future under Gennaro Gattuso is often said to be up in the air, with Napoli believed to be willing to part ways so long as they do not take too much of a financial hit on the Atletico Madrid and West Ham United target.
Any hopes Ancelotti had of winning the race to reunite with Lozano now appear dashed, however, as Giuntoli has gone on record to say that the 24-year-old’s future is in Italy and at the side where he earns a reported €4.5m-a-year (£76.2k-p/w).
“Is Lozano a disappointment? It’s not that something didn’t work out, he wasn’t doing very well [and] a knee problem held him back in the summer,” Giuntoli told Arena Napoli.
“He’s played some good games as a second striker under Ancelotti, [but] he didn’t do as well as you’d think, but he didn’t do as badly either.
“He’s a treasure of Napoli, and in the future, he will show what he can do.”
Lozano scored all three of his goals for Napoli whilst Ancelotti was at the helm of the San Paolo outfit, with the Toffees boss favouring the Mexican in all bar four games across all competitions.
The 39-cap forward was forced to sit out Napoli’s 2-0 win at home to Hellas Verona in October as a result of a bruised ankle, and has been awarded far fewer minutes since Gattuso’s appointment with just six outings under the AC Milan icon thus far.
Lozano may be more inclined to move on from Napoli than Giuntoli is to sell him, but the Azzurri chief will have a great deal to say in the matter should any side look to acquire the Mexican this summer.
In other Everton news, the club will be made to pay for our failed January swoop should Carlo Ancelotti return for 41-cap man.