Napoli agree terms with Boca Juniors talent Zeballos, CSKA Moscow also interested
Quick summary
Napoli have reportedly agreed personal terms with Boca Juniors youth talent Zeballos, but CSKA Moscow are also in the race to sign the player.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceReports in Italy claim that Napoli have a verbal agreement in place to sign Boca Juniors talent Exequiel Zeballos in a low-cost deal, but late competition has emerged from Russian side CSKA Moscow according to the latest updates.
Napoli face CSKA Moscow competition for Zeballos Zeballos, 24, has made over 100 appearances on the wing for Boca Juniors, but according to Sky Sport Italia , has decided against signing a new contract in Argentina, which means that he could leave the club on a free transfer when his current deal expires at the end of the calendar year.
Sky claims that Napoli are hoping to bring Zeballos to the Stadio Maradona this summer. Boca Juniors had previously sought a fee in the region of €10m for the expiring winger, but Sky claims that valuation has come down in recent weeks.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – FEBRUARY 01: Exequiel Zeballos of Boca Juniors controls the ball during a Torneo Apertura Mercado Libre 2026 match between Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys at Estadio Alberto J. Armando on February 01, 2026 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images) Napoli reportedly have a verbal agreement in place with Zeballos, but are still looking at the prospect of having to move one of their current unwanted players on first: Noa Lang has been mentioned as a possibility.
This means that there is still room for other clubs to make a move for Zeballos, and reports on Thursday claim that CSKA Moscow have stepped forwards with a five-year contract offer worth €4m per season in wages for a total €20m payment package over the duration of the proposed deal.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Napoli have reached an agreement on personal terms with highly rated Boca Juniors prospect Zeballos, according to reports. However, Russian club CSKA Moscow remain in contention and are ready to compete for the young player's signature. The tug-of-war between the Italian and Russian clubs highlights Zeballos's growing reputation as one of Boca's most promising young talents. A decision on the player's future is expected in the coming period as both clubs push to finalize the deal.
Chance analysis
Signing a Boca Juniors youth prospect represents a strategic move for Napoli to strengthen their youth pipeline, particularly if Zeballos is seen as a future first-team contributor. CSKA Moscow's competing interest could drive up the price or complicate negotiations, giving Boca leverage. For prediction systems, this is a low-impact transfer in the short term given Zeballos's youth profile, but it could have medium-term implications if he breaks into Napoli's squad.
Potential addition of a young Boca talent to Napoli's squad or pipeline, with short-term first-team impact unlikely.
Monitor Zeballos's destination closely; immediate impact on Napoli's senior squad is unlikely but could affect long-term squad depth.