Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has insisted that he never entertained the prospect of selling striker Gonzalo Higuain this summer.
The Argentine was said to be keen on leaving the Partenopei, with De Laurentiis adamant that he would not be sold for anything less than his £67m buyout clause.
Speculation has mounted that the 27-year-old, who was linked with Chelsea earlier in the summer, has signed a contract extension, and the Napoli chief says that an exit was never on the cards.
"I never, ever considered selling Higuain," he told Corriere della Sera.
"It wasn't by chance that I put a very high clause in his contract, which makes him difficult to afford for any potential buyer.
"I expect that he's respectful of his commitment to Napoli and the work of the team."
Higuain, who joined the Italian side from Real Madrid in 2013, is contracted to the club until 2018 as it stands.
Shane Callaghan
