Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says the club is prepared to sell star striker Victor Osimhen this summer, but only if a “more than indecent proposal arrives”.
Osimhen cost Napoli a club record €70m, potentially rising to €80m, 2020 and took a previously respectable goal return to new heights this past season when he scored 26 league goals to help deliver a first Serie A title since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona.
Naturally, the Nigeria international is on the transfer radar of other clubs.
Chelsea have been firmly targeting Osimhen since February, having already stepped up their scouting presence with regard to the player last autumn. Manchester United are also in the market for a striker, while Real Madrid are additionally linked following the surprise departure of Karim Benzema earlier this summer.
But Napoli and De Laurentiis are known for being tough negotiators, bleeding €90m out of Juventus for Gonzalo Higuain in 2016, selling Edinson Cavani for €64m, Jorginho for nearly €60m and successfully rebuffing interest in Kalidou Koulibaly until he was past his peak.
The situation is no different with Osimhen and fellow star name Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
De Laurentiis remains confident that Osimhen will stay at Napoli into next season, although he hasn’t ruled at a sale completely in his latest comments on the saga.
“We will see Victor Osimhen wearing our shirt next season, that’s for sure,” he stated to Sky Italy, before adding, “Then if a more than indecent proposal arrives, we will move on and find another top talent as we did with Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen.”
Such a proposal that is too difficult to turn down would likely have to mean Osimhen becomes one of the most expensive players in history. Napoli value the 24-year-old at €150m – only a handful of players including Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have ever transferred for more money.
As things stand, no club is prepared to meet that asking price.
As for Osimhen himself, he recently indicated his willingness to stay at Napoli by saying: “I am so happy I made the right choice by coming here. And achieving this kind of greatness with the Neapolitans is something that I will wake up and always smile about.”
