Napoli have reached an agreement with Manchester United to sign Axel Tuanzebe on a loan deal until the end of the season.
The 24-year-old has spent the first half of the campaign at Aston Villa, making a total of six starts and three substitute outings in the Premier League.
Despite the centre-back featuring for just seven minutes since his arrival in November, manager Steven Gerrard said on Friday that he views Tuanzebe as an important part of his squad in the long term.
However, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the player is on the brink of signing for Napoli on a temporary basis.
The Serie A outfit have agreed to pay United's loan demands, with the arrangement not including an option to buy in the summer.
Napoli had been in the market for a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly, who will represent Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations over the coming weeks.
Darren Plant
