In the final hours of the summer transfer window, Palermo's sporting director, Carlo Osti, had identified 22-year-old Spanish winger Iker Almena of Al-Qadisiya and Luca Mazzitelli of Como as two players wanted to reinforce the squad. The club's plans were dependent on the departure of Emmanuel Gyasi, who was very close to signing for Ascoli. However, Gyasi's move did not happen. The failure to free up a squad slot by selling Gyasi prevented the club from completing deals for either Almena or Mazzitelli. Almena, who has also been linked with Dinamo Zagreb, is under contract with the Saudi club until 2028. In August 2026, a proposed loan to Dinamo Zagreb reportedly included a €1.5 million purchase option, while Almena's transfer from Girona in August 2024 was for a reported €5.0 million. His current market value is estimated by Transfermarkt to be €1.20m.