Anan Khalaili has voiced his frustration after a proposed €30 million transfer to Inter Milan fell through due to Italy’s stringent medical regulations. The Israeli international returned to Union Saint-Gilloise this week after Italian authorities blocked the move despite the midfielder passing the Serie A club’s own medical examination.
The collapse centres on cardiac screening protocols that are significantly stricter in Italy than elsewhere in Europe. Although Inter had agreed a fee of €25 million plus €5 million in add-ons with the Belgian side, and Khalaili had successfully completed the club’s health checks, subsequent scans flagged irregularities in his cardiac function. The clubs had reached full agreement on personal terms and the financial package before the regulatory intervention halted the transfer.
CONI refusal ends transfer
The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), which holds ultimate authority over sporting medical clearances in the country, declined to issue the necessary certificate required for Khalaili to register in Serie A. This intervention overruled Inter’s internal medical assessment and forced the abandonment of the deal just days before it could be finalised.
Khalaili, who has since resumed training with Union Saint-Gilloise, publicly challenged the decision through the club’s official channels. “I feel healthy and good,” he stated. “I played 99 games the last two years, and I played almost 90 minutes every game. I am ready to play and to train hard, give my best, 100 per cent.”
Italian regulations in context
Italian football operates under rigorous cardiac function guidelines that exceed the standards applied in other major leagues. These regulations have previously prevented players with implanted defibrillators, such as Edoardo Bove and Christian Eriksen, from competing in Serie A, forcing them to continue their careers in England instead.
The uniformity of these rules means individual clubs cannot override CONI decisions regardless of their own medical opinions or the financial magnitude of the transfer. With the deal now off, Khalaili remains contracted to Union Saint-Gilloise and available for selection in the Belgian Pro League, though the collapsed move to San Siro represents a significant setback to his career progression at one of Europe’s elite clubs.