Napoli consider options for Osimhen as Premier League interest fades

Napoli may have to reassess their options regarding talisman Victor Osimhen as no club has yet approached the Nigerian, despite the club’s hopes of selling him this summer.

Reports throughout the 2023-24 season suggest that Napoli are ready to cash in on Osimhen this summer, despite his leadership of the club’s goalscoring charts over the past two seasons, including during the Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign.

In December, the 25-year-old signed a new contract with Napoli until the summer of 2026, a deal that also includes a release clause believed to be around €120-130 million.

Napoli were expecting offers from Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, however, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, no official approach has been made yet.

This could be a long-term problem for Napoli and new coach Antonio Conte, who could count on the sale of Osimhen to attract a number of other transfer targets this summer, including a possible deal for the striker Chelsea Romelu Lukaku.

The fact that Osimhen is currently earning around €10m per season in wages on his new deal is also not particularly feasible for Napoli in the long term, especially if they intend to rebuild under Conte this summer.

Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is said to be awaiting comment from the stand’s sporting director Giovanni Manna and Osimhen’s agents before considering his next steps, but La Gazzetta suggest Napoli may have to consider lowering their asking price if they are to complete a deal this summer.