Walid Cheddira: Morocco forward at Napoli linked with Hellas Verona move

Walid Cheddira, the Morocco international forward currently at Napoli, is being linked with a summer move to Serie B side Hellas Verona as the transfer window gathers pace in Italy.

The 28-year-old centre-forward returned to Napoli this month after a loan spell at Lecce in the second half of last season, but his long-term future at the Serie A champions appears uncertain following a series of temporary moves away from the club. Verona are monitoring his situation as they look to add experience and physical presence to their attack for a promotion push from Serie B.

Cheddira, who was born in Loreto and holds both Moroccan and Italian nationality, joined Napoli from Bari in August 2023 for around 3m but has yet to establish himself at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, spending each season since under contract out on loan. His most prolific spell in Italy came with Bari in Serie B, where he scored 17 goals in 31 league appearances, form that helped earn him a move to Napoli and increased attention from across the divisions.

Now valued at around 2m, the striker is under contract with Napoli until June 2028, a factor that would require Verona to negotiate a fee rather than pursue a cutprice deal. Napoli, who won the Serie A title in 202425, must decide whether to keep Cheddira as squad depth or capitalise on his value, with Verona among the clubs sensing an opportunity to bring him in ahead of the new campaign.