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Di Natale not for sale

By Nadia Carminati
Empoli president Fabrizio Corsi has slammed suggestions that the club would listen to offers for star man Antonio Di Natale.

The striker has been in impressive form this season, and inevitably this has sparked suggestions that a move to a bigger club is in the offing.

However, Corsi insists that the player is not for sale, even if he wants to leave.

"Di Natale is not on the market - because we think he is a vital part of our plans to stay up," said Corsi.

"In August we rejected many offers for him and he will absolutely stay with us.

"He has a contract, with which comes duties and rights. He got a contract extension with a major pay rise.

"If he has any respect for the jersey, the fans or his team-mates he will not ask to be sold.

"If we stay up in June - then maybe we will think about letting him leave."

Di Natale himself insisted that he was merely concentrating on his own football, for the time being.

"At the moment I am thinking only of Empoli," insisted the marksman.

"I think we must struggle until the end of the season. We started badly but now things are going well.

"I'm flattered by the interest but I am only in the middle of my contract - which expires in 2007.

"I feel good here - but in football anything can happen."