Napoli have formally opened negotiations with Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu as they close in on a deal this month, say reports.
Sky Sport Italia claim the two parties have opened negotiations for the versatile forward, who only rejoined the Catalan giants in a €12m deal from Everton this summer.
It follows on from reports in Diario Sport and El Mundo Deportivo that the 23-year-old is set for a January exit with a move to Italy the most likely outcome.
The winger is no longer required at Camp Nou after the Blaugrana sanctioned a deal worth €160m for Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool with the club seem to sell several first-team squad players to free up funds.
Indications had signalled Deulofeu favoured a move to Inter but the Milanese giants are reportedly only offering an initial loan with an option to buy, rather than a direct, permanent deal.
The fee the Naples-based club are reportedly paying is ‘in excess of €15m’, meaning the Catalan club will make a profit within six months on their own youth product.
Deulofeu has experience in Serie A with a successful six-month loan spell at Milan last term.