Napoli left fuming as Leeds near Ounahi signing

Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi | Imago

Napoli left fuming as Leeds near Ounahi signing

Ayoola Kelechi 13:32 - 16.01.2023

The Moroccan midfielder could be on his way to Leeds after being courted by Napoli since the World Cup

Napoli were considered front-runners for Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, but have now been out-bid by Leeds who are close to reaching an agreement with Angers for the 22-year-old midfielder. 

Ounahi has been on the radar of many top European clubs

Ounahi had been a prime target for many clubs since his impressive showing at the World Cup, and the player appeared to have his heart set on joining the Serie A leader, but Angers’ need to turn a large profit on Onahi might see him move to England with Leeds instead. 

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According to Napoli sources, Angers had been coy with their asking price for Ounahi, hoping to incite a bidding war between the many clubs interested in the Moroccan, and it appears they have gotten their wish, with Leeds set to out-bid other teams with a €25 million offer. 

Reasons why Napoli are pulling out of a deal for Ounahi

Napoli have long been against a possible bidding war and are unlikely to further their interests if Angers continue to employ tactics to inflate the player’s price. 

Azzeddine Ounahi (middle) was one of the best players at the 2022 World Cup (Russian Look)

Napoli have also been critical of Angers for using different intermediaries to negotiate a price for the midfielder, with each intermediary presenting a higher valuation for Ounahi than the last. 

It appears all but certain that Napoli are set to pull out of the race, and if they do, the path will be clear for Leeds to sign the World Cup breakout star practically unopposed since other teams like that were interested, including Leicester City and Barcelona are unlikely to match Leeds’ bid to Angers. 

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