Napoli rejected a Chelsea offer of £58m for Kalidou Koulibaly at the end of the summer transfer window, according to their chairman.
Antonio Conte had a £38m bid for the centre-half rejected in July, according to Sky sources.
But Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed Chelsea returned more than once before eventually turning their attention to Paris Saint-Germain's David Luiz.
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"They offered to me £30, 35, 40, 45, 50 [million]," De Laurentiis told Sky Sports News HQ. "Mr Conte I said, 'Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director] is behind me, follow me', I offered him that. Last moment, two days before the closing of the market, I hear £58 [million] - something like that."
Koulibaly eventually signed a new contract with Napoli that ties him to the Serie A club until 2021 but, according to De Laurentiis, that does not guarantee he will not be sold.
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"Koulibaly I need here to make the match," De Laurentiis said. "I need to play, so I need the players. Koulibaly, this year, will remain here. Next year we will speak about."
Asked to confirm if Chelsea made a £58m offer, De Laurentiis said: "Yes. He will never say it is true because I know Antonio. Ciao Antonio."
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