Chelsea Transfer News: Napoli Demanding £54 Million For Edinson Cavani

Independent. It is understood the Premier League club have had a second bid worth £42.8 million plus Fernando Torres rejected, sources close to Napoli said last night, though that remains unconfirmed. Last month, the Blues saw their opening bid of £40 million plus Thibaut Courtois knocked back by the Italians, and have, as expected at the time, made an improved offer for the Uruguayan striker. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is only interested in a straight cash offer with the club rejecting two player-plus-cash offers now, while the inclusion of Torres in the latest proposal put forward by Chelsea would appear to confirm the uncertainty surrounding the Spaniard's future at Stamford Bridge. Torres collected the Golden Boot Award at this summer's Confederations Cup yet that isn't likely to spare him now, with a potential move back to Atletico Madrid being touted as a possible destination. As well as a return to Liverpool however, it is also improbable that he will move to Napoli to work under former manager Rafael Benitez again, who first brought him to England from Atletico in 2007. Whatever the case, one thing is clear, and that is Napoli are prepared to play hard ball in the Cavani saga, and seem unwilling to accept a penny less than £54 million. The South American netted 38 times last season and was the top scorer in Serie A.