Sampdoria have allowed Belgian giants Anderlecht to open talks with striker Stefano Okaka, a player La Samp are keen to get let leave, according to reports from Di Marzio.
The 25-year-old's agent Beppe Bozzo is expected to fly into Brussels in the coming days for negotiations with Anderlecht club officials.
The Blucerchiati are reportedly looking for a fee of €3 million upfront, while the 33-time Belgian champions have proposed to split the fee over two €1.5 million installments.
Anderlecht looking to replace what they've lost
Les Mauves et Blancs have seen highly rated Aleksandar Mitrovic depart in the past week for Premier League outfit Newcastle United, and Chancel Mbemba is expected to join him at St. James Park in the coming days. Furthermore, midfielder Dennis Praet may leave soon with plenty of interest coming from England.
Okaka isn't exactly a like-for-like Mitrovic replacement but this could in fact signal a change in style for the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium club.
La Samp want rid of Okaka
Following a training ground incident back in January, the club have been actively looking to transfer the player away from the Stadio Luigi Ferraris ever since. It is alleged that the former Roma forward behaved inappropriately towards then manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, who has taken over at Milan. There had been interest from a host of Premier League clubs, including Southampton, but it appears that the interest has cooled.
No Cassano return
Despite agreeing terms on a return to the club, Antonio Cassano won't return to the Genovese club as new manager Walter Zenga isn't convinced Cassano is the man to move Sampdoria forward.
"Let's not continue with all these illogical reports, Antonio knows what I think," Zenga was quoted as saying by CalcioMercato.it.
"For his and my own good, let's just bring an end to it, out of respect for everybody," he added.
The club had also been linked with an audacious loan bid for Mario Balotelli but were priced out of the move as a result of his huge wage demands.