Halaili Talks Frozen as Napoli Refuses to Enter a Bidding War

Negotiations between Napoli and Union Saint-Gilloise over Anan Halaili are stalled for now, and the deal is not considered close to completion. According to a report in Il Mattino, although the Italian club has already reached preliminary understandings with the Israeli winger and his representatives, the gap with the Belgian side remains wide.

The main reason for the halt in talks is Union's financial demand, with the club continuing to value Halaili at a very high price. Reports in Italy say the initial asking price was around 25 million euros, and even if the Belgians agree to lower it to the 22.5 million to 23 million euro range, it is still an amount Napoli is not rushing to pay. In southern Italy, the club values Halaili and sees him as an interesting long-term investment, but at this stage it does not intend to enter a bidding war or pay what it considers an inflated price. As a result, the deal may remain on hold for much of the summer.

Halaili himself is under contract with Union until 2028, with an option for an additional season and no release clause, giving the Belgian club full control over his situation. For now, according to the reports, Union has still not received a formal offer for him. Meanwhile, Bournemouth, Tottenham, Newcastle and Benfica continue to monitor the Israel national team player, but the focus at present is on the stalemate with Napoli. If the Italians return to the negotiating table, it may only happen in the final weeks of the transfer window.