Silvestri transfer to Al-Shabab collapsed at final hurdle | OneFootball

Marco Silvestri was reportedly only a step away from switching Udinese for Al-Shabab before the deal collapsed at the final stage.

The 32-year-old Italian goalkeeper, who has been with the Friulian outfit since July 2021, has recently lost his starting place in the squad, falling behind summer signing Maduka Okoye over the last few weeks. He’s been left on the bench for the last six consecutive matches.

Udinese have been active in the January transfer window, sending out a number of players on loan and welcoming Lautaro Giannetti on a free transfer. Nehuen Perez and Lazar Samardzic were linked with moves away, but both now seem set to stay in the Friulian capital for the time being.

As reported by TMW, Silvestri was on the verge of joining Al-Shabab after a deal was agreed with Udinese, but the transfer collapsed at the final hurdle due to Simone Pafundi’s loan move to Lausanne-Sport.

Udinese had already completed all seven possible transfers abroad in a single season and were unable to sign off on the goalkeeper’s move to Saudi Arabia, where he was ready to make the jump to with his Muslim wife.