In an expected turn of events, Napoli have left wantaway center-forward Victor Osimhen out of their Serie A squad list for the 2024/25 season. In addition to omitting the Nigeria international from the team, Antonio Conte has stripped him of the coveted number nine.
Osimhen’s future has been one of the hottest topics in Italy this summer. Despite the player’s ambition to leave and the club’s preparedness to sanction his exit, Napoli have struggled to generate enough bids for their out-of-favor superstar.
The former Lille striker could still leave Napoli. Chelsea and Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al-Ahli were the most realistic options for Osimhen in the transfer window finale. However, both moves have failed to materialize, casting further doubt on his future.
Meanwhile, Conte has ruled the 25-year-old out of his project. To make his decision abundantly clear, the Italian coach has handed Osimhen’s shirt number to marquee summer signing Romelu Lukaku. The ex-Chelsea flop will lead the line at the Diego Maradona Stadium this term.
Lukaku’s arrival leaves Osimhen’s future in limbo. Napoli cannot afford to freeze the player out of the squad and continue paying him a substantial salary. Osimhen takes home around €10 million per season, making him the club’s highest earner.
While Al-Ahli showed readiness to match the Napoli outcast’s wages, they’ve lost interest in Osimhen after completing the signing of Ivan Toney from Brentford. In other squad news, Billy Gilmour could be on the bench when the Partenopei meet Parma on Saturday night.
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