Diego Maradona has told Napoli fans he would never betray them, while urging supporters to forget about striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Higuain's €90 million move to Serie A rivals Juventus sparked anger among Napoli fans with some burning Higuain shirts in protest.
During his three years with the Azzurri, Higuain earned the support of many Napoli fans and looked set to follow in the footsteps of Maradona by becoming a club idol.
Speaking in a recorded message displayed on a big screen in Napoli's Stadio San Paolo prior to their 3-0 win over Nice in a preseason friendly on Monday evening, Maradona said it was time to move on from Higuain.
"The people of Napoli need support -- you can rest assured that I support you," Maradona said. "I will never betray you. What is done is done so let's think about building a beautiful squad for the people and let Higuain do what's best for him.
"It's over with Higuain now, but it will never be over with me. A big kiss from me to the president and to all Neapolitans."
Napoli captain Marek Hamsik also said the fans and everybody at the club must now move on.
"We've lost a great player, but we need to look ahead," he said. "We're a great side and we've got to prove it. We've got Serie A and the Champions League to look forward to."
The anthem to the Champions League was played prior to Napoli's friendly against Nice with the fans singing the final words, as became tradition when the Azzurri first appeared in the competition several seasons ago.