Napoli are closing in on the transfer of Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez, according to a report in Diario AS.
The report claims that the Colombian playmaker already has a personal agreement in place to join the Neapolitan club for an annual wage of €6.5m.
It claims that now Colombia have been eliminated from the Copa America, the operation should be hastened although the two clubs remain at a disagreement.
Madrid are said to want €50m in a permanent deal but the compromise could be that Napoli pay an initial loan fee whilst committing to making the deal permanent later.
Reports in both Cadena Ser and Onda Cero had claimed Atletico Madrid held an interest in coming in for the playmaker, but his next destination is likely to be Serie A.
Atleti have already done business with Los Blancos this summer when they completed the signing of midfielder Marcos Llorente, while it is claimed James loves living in the Spanish capital.
Last week, Marca reported that James is inching closer to a move to Napoli in a move engineered by boss Carlo Ancelotti, who coached him at Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The Madrid-based outlet cites a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport that claims the €40m permanent arrangement next summer is set in stone and will be compulsory for the Partenopei.
James has returned to Madrid following a two-year loan spell at the Bavarian club having started just 13 Bundesliga matches this campaign and is said to want more regular first-team football.
The former Porto and Monaco star spent three seasons at Los Blancos, helping them to two European titles, but started just 13 La Liga games in his final campaign.
Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti brought James from Monaco to the Spanish capital back in 2014 and worked with him again during his time with Bundesliga giants Bayern.
