Confusion as Premier League option fizzles out for Osimhen
Napoli may have to reevaluate their options surrounding talisman Victor Osimhen, despite the club’s hopes to sell him this summer.
Reports throughout the 2023-24 season suggest that Napoli are prepared to cash in on Osimhen this summer, despite his leading the club’s goalscoring charts for the past two seasons, including in the Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign.
Back in December, the 25-year-old penned a new deal with Napoli running until the summer of 2026, a deal that also includes a release clause believed to be in the region of €120m-€130m.
Napoli had been anticipating offers from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, however, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, no official approaches have yet been made.
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That could be a problem longer-term for Napoli and new coach Antonio Conte, who may be relying on Osimhen’s sale in order to bring in a number of other transfer targets this summer, including a possible deal for Chelsea-owned striker Romelu Lukaku.
The fact that Osimhen currently earns around €10m per season in wages on his new deal is also not particularly feasible for Napoli long-term, particularly if they intend to rebuild under Conte this summer.
Club President Aurelio De Laurentiis is reportedly waiting for feedback from booth sporting director Giovanni Manna and Osimhen’s agents before considering his next steps, however La Gazzetta suggests that Napoli may have to think about lowering their asking price if they want to seal a deal this summer.