Transfer Market Agent rubbishes claims that striker will renew Napoli deal

Atletico Madrid have received a timely boost in their pursuit of Diego Simeone's attacking target, Gonzalo Higuain.

Corriere Dello Sport reported last Friday that the man who struck 36 times in Serie A last season would be renewing his contract at Napoli until 2020, which would have ended the Champions League runners-up's hopes of signing the man Simeone feels can be the final piece of the puzzle.

But on Wednesday, the player's brother and agent Nicolas took to the airwaves, telling Radio Continental that these reports had been wide of the mark.

His brother said that Higuain had arrived in 2013 under the promise of regular Champions League football and league title success.

Though Neapolitans returned to Europe's premier competition with a group stage exit in 2013/14, and the pre-tournament play-offs a year later, they have failed to dislodge a dominant Juventus side as the kings of Italy.

Should the club not find a buyer willing to meet president Aurelio De Laurentiis' insistence on the player's €94 million release clause being met, then the agent insisted the number nine will be happy to let his current two-year deal run down, while maintaining that the attacker will not let up in performing for the Serie A side.

But, with the player two years shy of his 30th birthday having enjoyed the season of his life, there may never be a better time to cash-in and the hope now for Atletico is that De Laurentiis will settle for a handsome profit on the former Real Madrid man that clocks in some way below that exorbitant figure.