Napoli have moved closer to signing Israeli winger Anan Khalaili, with Italian reports saying the Serie A runners-up have reached a preliminary agreement with him. According to Corriere dello Sport, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna has been following the Union Saint-Gilloise player for months and has spoken directly with Khalaili’s family, father Majdi and brother Iyad, who are traveling together on vacation.
Manna reportedly asked them to stay patient and not rush into other decisions, despite growing interest from clubs in the English Premier League. The report quoted the message around the deal as, "Hwait for us," and said, "Khalaili wants only Napoli."
The player agreement does not mean the transfer is close to completion, because talks between Napoli and Union Saint-Gilloise are still far from finalized. Napoli have already made an official opening bid of 15 million euros, but the Belgian club rejected it outright. In Belgium, Khalaili is being valued at at least 25 million euros.
Napoli are expected to return with an improved offer that will reportedly include a lower guaranteed fee plus significant bonuses tied to team and individual achievements. Maccabi Haifa is also watching the situation closely, since it sold Khalaili to Belgium for about 7.5 million euros and is entitled to 15 percent of any future profit, a share that may be helping Union Saint-Gilloise hold firm on its price.
