Napoli have accelerated their pursuit of Anan Khalaili, with the Union Saint-Gilloise winger now overtaking Fiorentina’s Dodo as the club’s priority target for right back. Sporting director Giovanni Manna sees the 21-year-old as the ideal long-term solution, and talks have reportedly intensified in recent days.
Manna’s Long-Tracked Target Finally Moves
This interest didn’t appear overnight. Manna has reportedly followed Khalaili since spotting him during an Italy vs Israel fixture seven months ago, and that early impression has only strengthened since. Born in Haifa and developed through Maccabi Haifa’s academy, Khalaili moved to Belgium two years ago and has since become one of European football’s most closely watched young talents.
His numbers back up the hype. Across all competitions this season, Khalaili has racked up 51 appearances, five goals, and six assists, with three of those goals arriving on the Champions League stage, including a decisive strike against Atalanta. That kind of production at continental level convinced Napoli’s hierarchy he’s ready for a step up.
Personal terms with the player appear close to settled, with reports suggesting a broad agreement already in place. The harder negotiation now sits with Union Saint-Gilloise. Napoli have reportedly offered somewhere between €15million and €17million, while the Belgian side want closer to €25million, complicated further by a sell-on percentage owed to Maccabi Haifa. Bridging that gap remains the final obstacle.
Versatility makes Khalaili especially appealing. Though he started as a forward, he’s since adapted into a right-sided midfielder and wing-back, giving Napoli’s incoming coaching staff tactical flexibility regardless of formation. With captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo aging and Matteo Politano not getting any younger, Manna views Khalaili as both immediate depth and a genuine long-term successor.
Why Dodo Slipped Down the List
Dodo remains admired within Napoli’s recruitment department, but financial reality played a role here too. Khalaili arrives notably cheaper, younger, and without the contractual weight Fiorentina would demand. For a club managing several rebuilding priorities simultaneously, that combination tipped the scales decisively in his favor.