SSC Napoli have issued an unusually sharp response to the collapse of Jesper Lindstrøm's proposed transfer to Schalke 04, accusing the newly promoted Bundesliga club of allowing "false press information" to circulate and reserving the right to pursue legal action.
The 26-year-old Denmark international had already travelled to Gelsenkirchen and was expected to complete a medical ahead of an initial loan. Get German Football News reported on Sunday that the agreement was set to include a €5m purchase clause that would become obligatory if Lindstrøm reached a low appearance threshold and Schalke avoided relegation.
Schalke withdrew from the transaction on Monday. German reports initially claimed that Napoli had attempted to change the agreed structure by insisting upon a purchase obligation rather than the purchase option sought by die Königsblauen . The Serie A club has now publicly disputed that account.
"SSC Napoli wishes to clarify the circumstances that led to the failure of Jesper Lindstrøm's transfer to Schalke 04 following the publication of false information in the press," the Italian club's statement began.
Napoli claimed that the clubs exchanged written correspondence regarding the general contractual conditions on Sunday without the fee or payment schedule being called into question.
"After written correspondence took place yesterday concerning the general contractual conditions, without the financial terms of the agreement or the payment methods ever being questioned, the German club informed us today at 1pm that some of the proposed clauses were unacceptable," Napoli continued.
The Italian club also claimed that Schalke's position changed after Robin Gosens and Dejan Ljubicic sustained injuries during the weekend's friendly victory. Gosens is expected to miss several weeks, while Ljubicic's injury is considered less serious.
"This decision was made against the backdrop of changed technical and sporting requirements following injuries sustained by two players over the weekend, which necessitated an adjustment to the transfer strategy," Napoli stated.
According to Napoli's timeline, the club responded only 22 minutes after Schalke raised its objections and indicated that it was prepared to accept the German club's revised contract.
"At 1:22pm, SSC Napoli sent a reply in which it reiterated that these were detailed changes concerning the structure of the transaction," the statement continued. "Nevertheless, SSC Napoli showed understanding for the German club's altered technical and sporting requirements and would have been prepared to accept the contractual version proposed by Schalke."
Napoli claimed that no further response arrived until 5:32pm, when Schalke formally ended negotiations because of "changed priorities in the construction of the squad."
The Serie A runners-up believe that sequence contradicts suggestions that the transfer failed because Napoli refused to accommodate Schalke's demands.
Napoli concluded the statement by reserving the right to bring the matter before the appropriate authorities "to protect its rights."
The extraordinary public dispute marks a dramatic conclusion to negotiations that developed over several weeks. GGFNfirst covered Schalke's work on a Lindstrøm loan on July 20 before reporting that the former Frankfurt attacker was close to returning to the Bundesliga and had arrived for his medical.
Lindstrøm has now been informed that the transfer will not proceed and is expected to return to Italy. Schalke, meanwhile, are reportedly reassessing their transfer priorities following Gosens' injury.
There are whispers that Schalke are on the verge of singing Eintracht Frankfurt's Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe.
