Linked with Arsenal throughout the 2023/24 campaign, Victor Osimhen looks closer to a transfer than ever before, but it doesn’t appear likely he’ll be moving to north London.
Speaking to the media this week, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna confirmed that Osimhen does want to leave his current club.
“Victor is a player who wants to leave, and last year there was already a situation in place,” Manna said. “We are calm because we have guys in the squad to replace him.
“Osimhen is a strong player but we want to give integrity to the group and we would prefer to protect the group.
“We will see what happens in the next 20 days.”
L’Equipe had previously reported that Osimhen wanted to leave, and that he was willing to refuse to train to try and push through a move.
At that stage, Paris Saint-Germain were leading the race, but they wouldn’t pay his €130m release clause. Since then, Chelsea have entered the conversations, with Napoli also expressing an interest in Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku.
Perhaps that could make a deal more likely, with Napoli at least receiving a player in exchange.
Napoli boss Antonio Conte previously suggested that the club and Osimhen have an “agreement” or “pact” on his future, hinting that it was out of his control.
Reports in June suggested Arsenal weren’t planning a bid, and despite plenty of links in the Italian media, the English media has never really picked up the story.
Osimhen scored 17 goals and assisted four in 32 games this season amid a couple of injury setbacks and his month-long run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.