Crotone chairman Gianni Vrenna has revealed that Nigeria striker Simy Nwankwo will not be sold this summer despite interest from other clubs.

Simy played a crucial role as Crotone secured promotion to the Italian Serie A.

The 28-year-old netted 20 league goals to emerge the 2019/20 Serie B top-scorer.

Udinese and Lazio have been credited with an interest in Simy, with Crotone turning down an offer from Udinese for the player recently.

“We will keep at least nine of the 11 players for next season including Alez Cordaz, Junior Messias, Salvatore Molina, Simy (Nwankwo) and also Ahmad Benali, with which we are in the process of finding an agreement. Then we will try to strengthen the squad and make it compete with 3-4 category players,” Vrenna told Calciomercato.

Speaking further, the club chairman added that he has always believed in the Nigerian since he joined the club in 2016 from Portuguese side Portimonense.

“He is a player in my heart. Since he arrived, I have been one of the few who believed in him; who stimulated him and who was close to him. He is an exceptional man; he also took whistles and insults. Now is his time, I repeat: he is a great man, as well as a great player,” he added.

Simy is contracted with the Calabrian club until June 2022 and is valued at €1.7m by transfer market experts.