What lies ahead for Osimhen, and is Lukaku poised to take his place at Napoli?
Napoli has encountered a series of difficulties recently, and their journey has been far from smooth. Likewise, things have not gone as expected for their standout striker, Victor Osimhen.
Napoli’s follow-up to their Serie A title win was disappointing, as they endured a dismal 2023-24 season, finishing 10th and cycling through three managers, ending 41 points off the top.
For Victor Osimhen, it isn’t his on-field performance that has complicated matters but rather the ongoing speculation about his future. The 25-year-old has been seeking a move for over a year, and the club is open to letting go of a high-earning player.
However, no club has yet met the hefty release clause for Osimhen, who became Napoli’s record signing when he joined from Lille for an initial £65m in 2020. This leaves Osimhen in a state of uncertainty, with Napoli seemingly resigned to his departure and looking to replace him with Romelu Lukaku.
Osimhen dreams of Premier League
Victor Osimhen is currently attending Napoli’s pre-season training camp, but according to Naples-based journalist Vincenzo Credendino, the Nigerian striker is there merely to maintain his fitness.
“He’s not participating in friendly matches against other teams,” Credendino, who reports for CalcioNapoli24 TV, tells BBC Sport. “Sometimes he doesn’t even play in the matches between Napoli players. He’s just keeping himself in good shape without taking any risks because he’s very likely to leave Napoli sooner or later this summer.”
Osimhen’s departure seems inevitable. In January, he told CBS Sports that he had already “made up his mind” about his future.
At that time, Napoli chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis indicated that the forward would join either “Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain, or an English club.”
Credendino believes PSG seemed the most likely destination, but the French champions are not willing to meet the reported release clause of £111m.
Chelsea has shown interest in Osimhen, but his price tag and wage demands have been deterrents this summer. Arsenal is the latest Premier League club linked with the striker.
Credendino also mentions that Saudi Arabian clubs have shown interest, but Osimhen dreams of playing in England. He adds, “Since the day he arrived in Napoli, we started speaking with his friends, and from the first day, his agent and relatives have always told us that his dream is to go to the Premier League.”
Conte desires Lukaku, and Lukaku desires Napoli.
Should Osimhen depart, it could open the door for Lukaku to move from Chelsea to Napoli.
According to Credendino, new Napoli manager Antonio Conte, who previously managed the Belgian at Inter Milan, is believed to be in regular contact with Lukaku.
The 31-year-old, currently earning £325,000 a week, is thought to be the highest-paid player at Chelsea but has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma.
“Someone told us that he’s even training himself following Conte’s advice, including his diet,” explains the Italian journalist.
“I would say that Conte wants Lukaku, and Lukaku wants Conte – Lukaku wants Napoli.”
It’s understandable why Lukaku would want to reunite with Conte, as he had the most prolific seasons of his career under the Italian. He scored 34 goals in all competitions during Conte’s first campaign and followed that with another 30 the next season as Inter won the Serie A title.
In the three seasons since, Lukaku managed 15 goals at Chelsea, 14 while back on loan at Inter, and 21 at Roma last season.
When international interest in Osimhen began, it was fueled by an extraordinary season—one that Napoli fans will always remember.
He scored 26 goals in Serie A, leading Napoli to their first league title in 33 years and becoming a hero in the process. Fans even started wearing replicas of the protective face mask Osimhen wore while recovering from an eye-socket injury.
However, last season was more challenging. Despite scoring 15 goals in 25 Serie A matches, Napoli finished mid-table. Osimhen missed part of the season due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations and a hamstring injury in October.
“All the other teams know that Napoli’s salary situation is problematic and something the club needs to address. So far, no one is willing to pay the release clause,” says Credendino.
With the transfer saga still ongoing, how do Napoli fans, disappointed by their team’s performance last season, feel about the situation?
“There’s a faction of fans that acknowledges Osimhen’s talent but sees him as a liability for the team,” says Credendino. “These fans argue, ‘He’s a great striker, but he earns a lot of money. If we sell him, we can buy other good players, so let him go.'”
On the other hand, some fans are simply happy to watch him play.
Credendino adds, “Osimhen is one of the best strikers in the world. If one of the best strikers in the world plays for your team, you are just happy—regardless of whether he earns 10 million euros per year. It’s not your concern.