Edinson Cavani rejects Juventus transfer courtesy loyalty to former club Napoli

Six-time Ligue 1 champions Edinson Cavani has reportedly rejected a move to Andrea Pirlo's Juventus courtesy of his loyalty to Napoli. The Old Lady were looking to snap up a deal for the in-demand Edinson Cavani, who is currently a free agent after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expired in July. However, Cavani, who scored 104 goals in 138 matches during his time at the Stadio San Paolo, has declined a move to Turin and is now heavily linked with a move to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid. 

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Juventus transfer news: Edinson Cavani snubs move to Turin due to past connection with Napoli

According to reports from Sky Sport Italia, Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani has refused to accept an offer from Juventus due to his previous connections with Napoli. The star forward enjoyed a prolific three-year spell with the Partenopei and helped them win the Italian Cup in 2012 before making a move to PSG in 2013. Cavani's PSG contract expired earlier this year in July after the 33-year-old stated that he was keen on a new challenge, having won six French League titles, seven Super Cups, five League Cups and four French Cups at the Parc des Princes. 

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Serie A news: Juventus planned to sell Gonzalo Higuain and replace him with Cavani

With Cavani now a free agent, Juventus were hoping to profit by luring him to the Allianz Stadium. Earlier this week, Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo confirmed striker Gonzalo Higuain will be leaving the club as the Argentine was no longer part of the Italian's plans for the future. Edinson Cavani was identified as a replacement for Higuain at Juventus but it seems that the former Napoli man isn't prepared to betray his former team, considering the rivalry between the two sides in Italy. 

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Edinson Cavani transfer news: Top clubs monitoring former PSG hitman

According to reports from L'Equipe, a number of top European clubs are keeping close tabs on Edinson Cavani. It was previously reported that Cavani was set to join Portuguese giants Benfica but a move fell through due to the player's high wage demands. Cavani wanted a reported €9.8million-per-year deal at Benfica but the Portuguese club were unwilling to match his request. 

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It is now reported that Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid are the favourites to snap up a deal for Cavani. The Copa America champion is reportedly an admirer of the LaLiga giants and is interested in joining the Rojiblancos. However, Man United and newly-promoted Leeds United are also linked with a move for Cavani. 

Image Credits - AP / Juventus Twitter