Football Italia
·31 January 2025
Football Italia
·31 January 2025
Napoli are reportedly targeting a move for former Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin as a potential successor to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but the Partenopei face a race against time if they are to complete a deal with his current employers, Al-Ahli.
Napoli are still on the lookout for a replacement for Kvaratskhelia, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in a €70m deal earlier in the January transfer window. There had been talks for Alejandro Garnacho and Karim Adeyemi from Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund, but Saint-Maximin is the latest name to appear on the Partenopei wishlist.
Saint-Maximin is currently out on loan in the Turkish Super Lig with Fenerbahce, which means that there are several administrative steps that need to be completed before the transfer window closes.
Allan Saint-Maximin of Fenerbahce reacts during the Turkish Super League match between Fenerabhce and Adana Demirspor at Ulker Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
The player would first need to terminate his loan agreement with Fenerbahce in order to return to Al-Ahli before moving on to Napoli.
Additionally, the Saudi Pro League window closes at midnight on January 31, slightly earlier than the Italian window that shuts on February 3, and the Turkish window, which closes on February 11.
According to reports from Sky Sport Italia, that means that Al-Ahli need to terminate Saint-Maximin’s loan deal with Fenerbahce before the close of the Saudi transfer window on Friday night. They are still able to sanction a sale as long as the buying club’s window remains open.