Image:Guidolin: Udinese coach close to signing midfielder
Italian club Udinese are close to signing Standard Liege midfielder Mehdi Carcela.
Standard Liege midfielder set to move on
Italian club Udinese are closing in on the signing of Standard Liege midfielder Mehdi Carcela.
Francesco Guidolin's side have made a €9.5million offer for the 22-year-old, who is expected to leave the Belgium club before the end of the transfer window.
Carcela has turned down a contract offer at Standard Liege but Udinese face competition from Spartak Moscow for the player's signature.
His agent, Jorge Vidal, told Belgian newspaper Het Nleuwsblad: "Udinese is a very serious option for Carcela.
"The transfer market will be open for another 14 days, but I don't think they will wait that long to complete the deal.
"They already offered more than Spartak Moscow.
"Mehdi isn't interested in a move to Russia. But with Russian sides you never know, they keep trying.
"Would he prefer a move to Italy? We will see about that. He is looking for a move away from Standard."
Carcela came through Standard Liege's academy and has represented Belgium in friendlies, but has since chosen to pursue an international career with Morocco.
