Victor Osimhen is one of the highest-rated center-forwards in world football, but he’s becoming a burden for Napoli. The Partenopei must sell their most prized asset soon to unlock several incoming deals, including the arrival of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
However, they’ve found it increasingly difficult to offload the Nigeria international. Osimhen’s prohibitive £110 million release clause has been a significant roadblock. Only Paris Saint-Germain have shown real ambition to sign the 25-year-old, even though their attempt to seal an agreement with Napoli has hit a stalemate.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte seemingly doesn’t count on Osimhen for the 2024/25 season. He refused to pick the former Lille striker for Sunday’s pre-season friendly against Egnatia. The Italian giants steamrolled to a 4-0 win, yet Osimhen was on the sidelines amid the club’s relentless effort to broker a deal with PSG.
Osimhen’s future remains in limbo. He wants to leave Napoli for a fresh challenge elsewhere. Aurelio De Laurentiis is reluctant to stand in his way and is actively searching for suitors. But there’s a feeling that if talks with PSG come a cropper, Osimhen could stay at the Diego Maradona Stadium next season.
That’s not an ideal scenario for Conte. He’s desperate to reunite with Lukaku at Napoli. But with no team willing to meet Osimhen’s staggering release clause, there’s a chance they may be unable to offload the Nigerian ace. Time is ticking, and De Laurentiis will likely have to reduce his asking price to facilitate Osimhen’s exit.
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