CSKA Moscow slams Fabrizio Romano over Exequiel Zeballos transfer claim
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- CSKA Moscow denied offering Exequiel Zeballos a €5 million net yearly salary.
- The club said talks with Boca Juniors ended in February without a deal.
- Napoli remain favourites to sign Zeballos despite the public dispute.
The unusually direct response came via CSKA's official social media account, where the club dismissed Romano's report and insisted they had never made such an offer.
CSKA deny Fabrizio Romano's transfer report
Romano reported that Napoli are pushing to complete a deal for the 24-year-old Argentine winger after reaching an agreement on personal terms.According to his update, Zeballos rejected a net salary worth €5 million per season from CSKA in favour of a move to the Serie A side.
However, CSKA strongly rejected that version of events.
Fabrizio, stop peddling nonsense. You’re a respected journalist. PFC CSKA have never offered any player €5m net a year. Talks with Boca ended in February: no deal, no personal offer. We’re not targeting wingers this window. Stop using our name to drive deals or inflate demands.
— ПФК ЦСКА Москва (@pfc_cska) July 16, 2026
CSKA deny any active pursuit of Zeballos
The club's statement makes clear that, whilst discussions with Boca did take place earlier this year, they never progressed to negotiations with the player himself.CSKA also stressed that signing a winger is not part of their recruitment plans this summer, directly contradicting suggestions that Zeballos had turned down the Russian Premier League side.
Club officials believe their name is increasingly being used by agents or intermediaries to strengthen players' bargaining positions during transfer negotiations elsewhere.
By publicly challenging Romano, CSKA sought to distance themselves from what it described as inaccurate reporting and to prevent their name being linked to transfer stories it considers misleading.
Napoli closing in on Boca Juniors star
Despite the controversy surrounding CSKA, Zeballos still appears destined for Napoli.Reports indicate the Italian club has already agreed personal terms with the Argentine and hopes an offer worth around €9 million will convince Boca to sell the winger, whose contract runs until the end of 2026.
According to Argentine outlet TyC Sports, Zeballos is particularly keen on the move because of Napoli's historic connection with Diego Maradona, whose legacy continues to carry enormous significance among Argentine players.
If the transfer is completed, it would mark the first overseas move of Zeballos' professional career after coming through Boca's academy.
What Zeballos would bring to Napoli
Zeballos has developed into one of Boca's most versatile attacking players.Across 140 senior appearances, he has scored 16 goals and provided 16 assists whilst operating primarily on the right wing. He is also capable of playing on the left, giving Napoli greater tactical flexibility under head coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Whilst Napoli focus on finalising the deal, CSKA are preparing for the start of the new Russian Premier League season after finishing fifth last term, 17 points behind champions Zenit Saint Petersburg.
The Moscow side will open their domestic campaign at home against FC Baltika.
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