Napoli Agree to Sell 29yo Striker to Fund Bid for Arsenal's Lacazette
Napoli have agreed to sell striker Romelu Lukaku, paving the way for the Italian club to make a bid for Arsenal's 29-year-old forward Gabriel Jesus.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Fenerbahce have agreed a deal to sign Lukaku from Napoli, with a verbal agreement reached after the Turkish club submitted their latest bid of over €6m. Lukaku has already agreed personal terms, so only the paperwork is remaining before the transfer can go ahead.
This is significant news for Arsenal, as widespread reports had suggested that Napoli's potential move for Jesus was contingent on the club selling Lukaku first. Now that Lukaku's exit is agreed, the expectation is that Napoli will submit a bid to the Gunners.
Jesus' agent, Giovanni Branchini, has been speaking to the media, confirming that there's been interest from Italy and Turkey. Branchini suggested that Napoli might be 'dreaming' of a move for Jesus, but added that it's possible under certain conditions that don't exist at this stage.
One of those conditions was presumably Napoli needing to sell Lukaku, a condition which is seemingly now set to be fulfilled. The price could be another issue, with Arsenal reportedly asking for €20m (£17.1m) but Napoli wanting to pay less.
The Italian club's interest in Jesus has been a long-standing one, with Branchini confirming that many clubs have been sounding out the player's situation to understand Arsenal's intentions, numbers, and expectations. The player has apparently ruled out a move to Turkey, putting the interested Serie A clubs at the front of the queue.
Now that Napoli have agreed to sell Lukaku, the stage is set for a potential transfer battle between the Italian club and Arsenal. The two clubs will likely engage in a price negotiation, with Napoli looking to pay less than the €20m asked by Arsenal.
If Napoli are truly interested in signing Jesus, they will need to come up with a more substantial offer to convince the Gunners to sell. The Italian club's willingness to sell Lukaku suggests that they are serious about making a move for Jesus, but the outcome of the transfer saga is still far from certain.
The transfer window is open, and Napoli's agreement to sell Lukaku has set the wheels in motion for a potential deal to sign Jesus. The coming days will be crucial in determining the fate of the transfer, with both clubs expected to engage in intense negotiations to secure the player's signature.
Source: Yahoo Sports