Arkadiusz Milik has agreed to terms with Olympique Marseille, while the French club and Napoli are negotiating the final details of the formula and the fee of the move, Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Sport reported over the the weekend.
Marseille, which have been pursuing the Polish striker for some time, have upped their offer and have reportedly come close to meeting Napoli’s €15M asking price thanks to some bonuses. It is also the only bid on the table at the moment if the Partenopei want to avoid losing the player for nothing at the end of his contract.
The 26-year-old striker would move on an initial 18-month loan with obligation to buy, so he would technically pen an extension with his current side first. The package will include the percentage of a future sale and Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis would like to include a clause forbidding a return to Serie A in the next three years.
Olympique Marseille director Pablo Longoria confirmed on Saturday that they are interested in the player, adding that the transfer will require some patience and Azzurri executive Cristiano Giuntoli replied that they are evaluating the whole situation. Milik would earn over €4M per year at his new club.
Our view
It looks like Milik has made his choice and is pushing to leave to avoid prolonging an unpleasant situation that could cost him Euro 2021, as he is frozen out from the squad. However, Napoli are incredibly tough to deal with in the transfer market and so, while things seem headed in the right direction, a late turnaround would not be shocking.