Former Sampdoria player and assistant coach Nenad Sakic has told his old side not to sell Chelsea target Luis Muriel in the January transfer window.

Sampdoria are expected to come under pressure to cash in on the Colombian striker when the window swings back open in a month's time and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has been linked with preparing a big-money bid to turn the Serie A side's head.




But Sakic believes selling Muriel in the winter window would be the wrong move on the part of Sampdoria and the 45-year-old argues that his former club could realise a higher fee if they hold on until the summer.

He told Sampdorianews.net: "If I was the coach I would definitely keep Muriel until the end of the season and if I was the president I would definitely not be selling in January.
 


"I would keep him until at least June, when in the case of a transfer you could collect a much higher sum", the former defender continued.

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"Muriel is fine at Sampdoria."

Sakic, who turned out for Sampdoria from 1998 until 2005, believes January transfer windows should just be used to touch up squads, with selling Muriel something which would be sure to be disruptive.

"I think the situation should not change in January. In the winter windows, in my opinion, there should not be big changes, but just retouches where it is believed there is a need.

"Teams are built in the summer, when you can also rely on pre-season."

Muriel, 25, however, was snapped up by Sampdoria in the winter transfer window in 2015, joining from Udinese.