Napoli may have to once again lower their asking price for their striker Victor Osimhen, as no clubs have yet made an approach for the Nigerian despite the club’s hopes to sell him this summer, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Napoli are prepared to cash in on Osimhen this summer despite being their leading top scorer for the past two seasons, including in the Scudetto-winning 2022/23 campaign.
Back in December, the 25-year-old penned a new deal with Napoli running until the summer of 2026, a deal which has a release clause believed to be in the region of €120m–€130m.
Napoli have been anticipating offers from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain; however, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, no official approaches have yet been made.
That could be a problem longer-term for Napoli and new coach Antonio Conte, who may be relying on Osimhen’s sale in order to bring in a number of other transfer targets this summer, including a possible deal for Chelsea-owned striker Romelu Lukaku.
The fact that Osimhen currently earns around €10m per season in wages on his new deal is also not particularly feasible for Napoli long-term, particularly if they intend to rebuild under Conte this summer.
Club President Aurelio De Laurentiis is reportedly waiting for feedback from both sporting director Giovanni Manna and Osimhen’s agents before considering his next steps; however, La Gazzetta suggests that Napoli may have to think about lowering their asking price if they want to seal a deal this summer.
Earlier reports indicated that Napoli had already reduced Osimhen’s asking price to €100m, down from the initial €120m-€130m release clause. However, even with this reduction, no offers have materialised.
Some reports in Italy suggest that the Serie A side would agree to a player-swap deal with Manchester United, which would see Mason Greenwood join the former Serie A champions, with Osimhen heading in the opposite direction.
Manchester United are keen to sell Greenwood in the summer, even though the rape charges against him were dropped last year. The 22-year-old winger performed well on a loan at Spanish La Liga side Getafe, winning the club’s Player of the Season award, and has been linked with several clubs, including Juventus, Lazio, and Napoli.
For Napoli to agree to Osimhen’s switch to the Premier League, the Italian giants may have to further adjust their expectations.