Anan Khalaili’s agent has revealed that strict Italian medical regulations forced the Israel winger to abandon a move to Inter and join Crystal Palace instead. The 22-year-old completed a permanent transfer from Union Saint-Gilloise to the Premier League club this summer after cardiac concerns flagged during his Serie A medical made him ineligible to compete professionally in Italy.
The collapse occurred despite Inter being Khalaili’s preferred destination. During routine testing, medical staff identified issues during the cardiac stress examination, preventing the player from obtaining the mandatory health certificate issued by CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee. All athletes in Italy must secure this clearance before participating in professional sport, and the country’s protocols are notably more rigorous than those enforced elsewhere in Europe.
The blocking of the transfer came as a significant blow to both player and club. Khalaili had travelled to Italy for medical examinations accompanied by his agent, anticipating a swift conclusion to negotiations. However, the CONI certification process, which oversees all sporting activity throughout the country, proved insurmountable due to the cardiac irregularities detected during testing.
The discrepancy in medical standards has previously affected other high-profile players. Christian Eriksen and Edoardo Bove were both prohibited from playing in Serie A while fitted with internal defibrillators, yet encountered no such restrictions when moving to English clubs including Brentford, Manchester United and Watford. Khalaili’s representative, Boaz Goren, confirmed that his client remains barred from Italian football unless the governing rules change.
Goren described the moment the deal unravelled during an interview on Israeli radio. “We were sitting in our hotel rooms, Anan was in the room next to mine, one wall separating us. I went across to his room and told him that the matter was beyond repair,” he recalled. The agent revealed that the pair quickly resolved to look elsewhere, noting that English doctors “didn’t take any more than two minutes to give him the go-ahead” when the same cardiac issue surfaced during Crystal Palace medicals.
Tactical preferences had initially drawn Khalaili towards Milan. Goren explained that “all of the top sides across Europe that play in a 3-5-2 wanted Anan,” with Inter leading the chase and Crystal Palace positioned as the firm second choice. The Eagles ultimately secured the right winger’s signature on a long-term deal after the Italian pathway closed, leaving the player to establish himself in the Premier League rather than Serie A.