Hjulmand clash, Inter chase Leoni, Napoli eye Chiesa, Okafor in play 🤑 | OneFootball

The transfer market is heating up. Clubs are working to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season, with many negotiations on the table.

Let’s discover today’s updates involving the major Serie A protagonists, including ongoing deals, behind-the-scenes stories, and strategies.

Juve, Hjulmand-Sporting Clash

The standoff between Morten Hjulmand and Sporting Lisbon has become tense: as reported by Corriere dello Sport, in a recent meeting between the player, his agent, and the Portuguese club’s top management, the club firmly reiterated that they will not sell him for less than 50 million euros. This firm stance has turned a normal negotiation into a real tug-of-war.

The Danish midfielder and his entourage, on the other hand, believe that the deal should be valued lower, since the 80 million release clause was tied to the presence of former coach Amorim. The confrontation is therefore becoming increasingly tough, while Juventus remains on the sidelines, hoping for an opening that would allow them to unlock the deal at more sustainable figures.

Milan, Bologna Eyes Okafor: Salary Is the Issue

According to Il Resto del Carlino, Bologna is not stopping at the almost certain return of Pobega and is also targeting Noah Okafor. The Swiss striker, owned by Milan and coming off an underwhelming loan spell at Napoli, is a profile appreciated by Giovanni Sartori, who had already followed him during his time at Atalanta.

The main problem, however, is the high salary of the former Salzburg player, who earns 2.5 million euros net per season. For Bologna, these numbers are hardly sustainable, and the club will only consider making a move if the player is open to a contract adjustment.

Inter-Leoni: Esposito as a Makeweight

Inter is not giving up on Giovanni Leoni and is working with Parma to find a financial agreement. As reported by Calciomercato.com, the Ducali value the defender at 35 million, while the Nerazzurri are proposing an offer of 22-23 million plus Sebastiano Esposito, who is valued at around 8-10 million.

Parma, who have had their eye on Esposito for some time, are open to listening to the proposal. Inter, for its part, considers Leoni a priority to complete the defense and would like to close the deal by the end of the month, in parallel with resolving the Lookman case.

Napoli, Chiesa and Nusa Names Return

Nottingham Forest’s move for Dan Ndoye has complicated Napoli’s plans. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Neapolitan club already had an agreement with the player, but not with Bologna, who are asking for 40 million. Faced with this uncertainty, the club’s management has started to consider alternatives.

Thus, the names of Federico Chiesa and Antonio Nusa from Leipzig are back in the spotlight. The Jack Grealish option, although mentioned, has been ruled out due to the out-of-scale salary the Englishman earns at Manchester City. Napoli is on alert and ready to turn to other targets if the Ndoye deal falls through.

Roma-Rios, Deal Slipping Away: Benfica Accelerates

Richard Rios is moving away from Roma. Fabrizio Romano reports that the Palmeiras midfielder, valued at 30 million, will not arrive in the capital due to Roma’s unwillingness to meet the Brazilian club’s demands. Benfica, having been informed of the situation, is ready to close the deal.

The Portuguese club will soon fly to Brazil to finalize the purchase. After waiting for a concrete signal from Roma, Rios is now inclined to accept the Águias’ offer, who are preparing a decisive move by the weekend.

Lazio, Surplus Players Blocked by Salaries

Corriere dello Sport explains that Lazio needs to trim the squad, but faces a tough economic obstacle. The main surplus players – Toma Basic, Mohamed Fares, and Dimitrije Kamenovic – have contracts until 2026 with salaries too high to easily find buyers.

Basic earns 1.6 million net, Fares one million, and Kamenovic 600 thousand euros. All three would only accept offers that maintain these figures, making their sale difficult. Lazio will probably have to wait until the end of the transfer window to find last-minute solutions and avoid keeping them on the payroll until their contracts expire.

Fiorentina-Zortea, Plan B if Dodo’s Renewal Falls Through

Dodo’s contract renewal is still at a standstill and Fiorentina is protecting itself by keeping the Nadir Zortea option alive. As reported by Corriere dello Sport, the Brazilian appears calm at the Viola Park training camp, but the financial issue regarding his salary is blocking any progress.

Zortea, currently at Cagliari, is valued at 10 million but the Sardinian club could accept even 8. The possibility of a loan with an obligation to buy is being considered. The winger, aware of the opportunity, would be ready to make the leap in quality. Fiorentina will revisit the matter concretely after the training camp.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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