Walid Cheddira: Napoli’s Morocco-Italy forward linked with Padova move

Walid Cheddira, the Morocco-Italy centre-forward currently at Napoli, is being linked with a summer move to Serie B side Padova. The 28-year-old, who remains under contract with the Italian champions until June 2028, is understood to be among the strikers under consideration as Padova look to add top-flight experience to their attack.

Cheddira returned to Napoli this summer after the end of a loan spell at Lecce, the latest in a series of temporary moves since he signed for the club from Bari in August 2023 for around €3m. He has since spent time with Frosinone, Espanyol and Sassuolo, making his opportunities to establish himself at Napoli limited despite the club’s title-winning campaign in 2024-25.

Padova’s interest comes at a time when Cheddira’s market value stands at about €2m, a figure that could make a deal more accessible for an ambitious Serie B side seeking proven goal output. His most prolific spell in Italy came with Bari in Serie B, where he scored 17 league goals in a single campaign, and he has also shown a sharp touch in the domestic cup with six goals in 10 appearances.

Born in Loreto and standing at 1.87m, Cheddira offers a profile familiar to Italian clubs, having worked his way up from Serie D to Serie A and LaLiga. While discussions over his future have yet to reach an advanced stage, any move would require agreement with Napoli, who retain him on a long-term deal through 2028.