Napoli’s official 23-man Serie A squad for this season is missing a key player – Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker, who played a crucial role in helping Napoli to their Scudetto win two seasons ago with 26 goals, finds himself out in the cold after a failed move away from the club. Despite still being under contract with Napoli until 2026, Osimhen’s future at the club looks uncertain.
Osimhen signed a contract extension with Napoli in December, locking him in until 2026 with a hefty release clause of €130 million. However, just a month later, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis made it clear that Osimhen would be leaving at the end of the season. This sparked speculations about the striker’s next destination, with Chelsea and Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli emerging as potential suitors.
Negotiations between Napoli, Chelsea, and Al Ahli dragged on until the transfer window closed in Italy and England. It was reported that Osimhen’s wage demands were a major sticking point in the deal, with Chelsea failing to meet the player’s expectations. This led to speculations that the striker was on his way to Saudi Arabia to join Al Ahli. However, Napoli rejected the offer from Al Ahli, who then went on to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford and Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
With his future hanging in the balance, Victor Osimhen now finds himself on the outside looking in at Napoli. His exclusion from the Serie A squad raises questions about the club’s decision-making process and the player’s status within the team. Will Napoli reconsider their stance on Osimhen? Or will the striker be forced to sit out the season waiting for a resolution to his future?
The saga surrounding Victor Osimhen’s failed transfer and subsequent exclusion from Napoli’s Serie A squad highlights the complexities of modern football business. Clubs, players, and agents must navigate a minefield of financial demands and contractual obligations, often leaving fans and pundits scratching their heads. Only time will tell how Osimhen’s situation will unfold, but for now, the Nigerian striker remains at the center of a complicated and unresolved issue at Napoli.
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