Cyril Ngonge has completed a £17 million move from Hellas Verona to Serie A champions Napoli despite claims that Aston Villa had agreed a fee to bring the Belgian to the Premier League.
Talk about signing off in style. In what proved to be his final outing for Hellas Verona, Cyril Ngonge jinked inside and fired a long-range shot into the bottom corner of the Empoli net, securing three vital points for his former club in their battle against relegation.
That was Ngonge’s sixth goal of the league season – a respectable return given Hellas’ struggles at the wrong end of the table – and his £17 million move to the reigning Scudetto holders offers the 23-year-old an opportunity to prove he can be equally influential in more lofty surroundings.
Cyril Ngonge joins Napoli after Aston Villa links
According to reports, Aston Villa saw a bid in the region of £9 million accepted for Ngonge at the start of January.
HITC Football understands that there was an interest from Villa Park in the one-time Groningen ace, but it appears that those claims from out of Italy were either wide of the mark entirely or, at best, a little misguided.
Reports suggesting that Ngonge could have been on his way to Aston Villa quickly dissipated, Napoli racing into pole position and eventually securing a deal for almost double the fee Unai Emery’s side were rumoured to be paying.
Villa close in on Nedeljkovic and want Morgan Rogers
One player Villa do look set to sign, however, is the Serbian right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic. HITC has been informed that the Midland giants will pay £8 million for the Red Star Belgrade teenager, who did such an impressive job up against ex-Villa captain Jack Grealish in the Champions League group-stages in December.
Sources have also told us that Villa have made a bid for Middlesbrough’s ex-West Brom starlet Morgan Rogers. The two clubs have already agreed one deal this month, Finn Azaz moving to the Riverside after a superb loan spell at Plymouth Argyle.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
