Torino have reprimanded defender Nikola Maksimovic after he refused to train at the weekend amid speculation about a move to Chelsea.
Maksimovic flew back to his native Serbia on Friday rather than presenting himself for training, infuriating Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, who has questioned whether it was his own choice or whether his agent had influenced him.
The 24-year-old has been linked with Napoli as a potential replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly should the Senegal international complete a move to Chelsea, but it is reported that the Blues may now turn their focus to Maksimovic.
He would likely be a cheaper alternative, with a reported asking price of around €25 million, but Mihajlovic has warned his compatriot that any decision on his future will be down to Torino.
"I don't know whether Maksimovic is making these mistakes by himself or whether he is just ill-advised, but I don't care either way," Mihajlovic told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He will pay the consequences for this behaviour because he has damaged our club.
"He has a short memory -- I was the one who launched his international career and just a few weeks ago I spoke to him frankly, from one Serbian to another. I guaranteed him an improved contract and favourable conditions in view of a future move.
"I told him that if he stuck with me this year, he would be wanted by the biggest clubs in Europe next year. He assured me that he was delighted to stay. I put my head on the line for him and now he just disappears and wants to leave.
"I feel like a betrayed man. For me, they are men before they are footballers, but he has betrayed everybody -- the club, his teammates, the fans and the coach. Now the ball is in the club's court because Maksimovic has a contract here and he cannot decide his destiny alone.
"If he is to stay then he has to know that he needs to win back everybody's faith twice: first as a man, then as a footballer."
Mihajlovic, who hung up his boots a decade ago, said he was unhappy with the direction the game was going.
"With all the percentages, commission and negotiating, football is being taken over by agents," the former AC Milan boss said. "I don't like generalising because, like in every walk of life, there are those who behave correctly and those who don't.
"Some just want to move their players around wherever they want and whenever they want, at their own pleasure and for their own benefit. It seems like contracts no longer have any value. It's not right and the club should stand firm against certain types of behaviour."
Mihajlovic said Brazilian full-back Bruno Peres, who is set to join Torino's Serie A rivals Roma, has not behaved in the same way.
"Bruno Peres has not held us to ransom, he has behaved professionally," Mihajlovic said. "I know that he might leave us, but if he does then we are set to earn all the money that he is worth."