Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho asked for too much money to join Napoli, according to director Giovanni Manna.
Throughout the winter transfer window, it was suggested that the Red Devils were open to cashing in on the Argentina international.
That was largely a consequence of the club's ailing situation with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, United having been in a position to generate pure profit on Garnacho.
However, despite talk of a £50m transfer to either Napoli or Chelsea, the 20-year-old ultimately stayed put at Old Trafford in a move that will ultimately please head coach Ruben Amorim.
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Why did Napoli not sign Garnacho?
Reports have since emerged that Napoli head coach Antonio Conte had been left frustrated at the failure to get a deal for Garnacho over the line.
Although they eventually secured a loan deal for AC Milan attacker Noah Okafor, it has been suggested that the Switzerland international was not the first choice of Conte.
Nevertheless, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, it appears that Napoli were not prepared to hand Garnacho a salary that was significantly more lucrative than other players in the squad.
Manna said: "We made an important bid to Manchester United for Garnacho. We really wanted him.
"We weren't able to agree on personal terms with Alejandro. He requested an important salary to leave in January, and we must respect our players."
Napoli had money to spend having allowed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to sign for Paris Saint-Germain in a €70m (£58.2m) soon after the start of the year.
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Who benefits more from Garnacho snub?
With United having allowed fellow attackers Antony and Marcus Rashford to leave on loan, retaining Garnacho's services feels an important development for Amorim.
While United would have likely have acquired an alternative, it would have been a rushed move during a chaotic period of the season.
As for Napoli, they sit at the top of the Serie A table at a time when they do not have any European football on their schedule.
Although Conte could have ultimately benefited from having Garnacho at his disposal, Okafor is a suitable short-term alternative who could make important contributions across the next four months.
Darren Plant
