Benitez hoping Cavani stays at Napoli

New Napoli boss Rafael Benitez said he hopes that in-demand Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani will stay with the Serie A runners-up, as the Spaniard was officially presented to the media on Friday.

“I spoke with Cavani, he’s a very good player and very important for us. He is with us, (although) he is doing his work in another tournament at the moment, I hope to see him here,” Benitez said, referring to Cavani’s participation at the Confederations Cup with Uruguay in Brazil.

“We are waiting to see what he decides,” added the Spaniard.

Cavani has been Napoli’s leading scorer for the past three seasons and led Serie A with a league-best 29 goals last term, making him one of the most coveted players on the transfer market.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid as well the English Premier League, but Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis intervened during Friday’s press conference to scotch rumours of Cavani moving to England.

“Manchester City don’t want to pay Cavani’s 63 million euro (release) clause, and Chelsea have never called me,” he told reporters.