Victor Osimhen: Napoli star’s release clause to be triggered

Robin Bairner

10 Jun 2024 13:30 BST
4 min read

Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring for Napoli against Cagliari in Serie A — © IMAGO

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen will have his release clause triggered amid interest from Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal.

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Osimhen has been the subject of long-standing transfer rumours dating back more than a year linking him to some of England’s major clubs, with Manchester United also having been thrown into the mix at times.

But the interest from Chelsea and Arsenal is wavering. Neither club appears keen to match Napoli’s demand that they pay the release clause of the 25-year-old forward, who scored 15 Serie A goals in 25 appearances last term.

Current ETV

Victor Osimhen

F (CRL)

Napoli

Victor Osimhen

F (CRL)

Napoli

ETV Range

€52.6M - €87.6M

This has opened the door to the possibility that Osimhen joins the Saudi Pro League, and according to a report from Italy, Al-Ahli are braced to pay the €120 million the 2022/23 Serie A champions are demanding.

Il Mattino, via CalcioNapoli24, states that it is “certain” Osimhen will leave Napoli in the summer but a move to the Premier League is currently unlikely. It adds that PSG are also unwilling to match the sums that the Serie A club are demanding.

While Al-Ahli are willing to pay the Nigeria star’s release fee, it is currently unclear if Osimhen is open to a move to the Saudi Pro League, despite the riches that are on offer to him there.

There are no personal terms agreed with the club, while it seems that the player is willing to bide his time to see what other offers arrive.

© IMAGO - Osimhen faces being sidelined in the transfer market due to Napoli's asking price

Osimhen saga far from over

Napoli could be put under pressure to sell even if Osimhen turns down the advances of Al-Ahli. After finishing 10th last season, they have missed out on European football and will need to plug a financial black hole somehow.

The striker may be their star player, but he is also on a huge wage by the club’s standards and would still command a huge transfer fee even if Napoli offered a discount on the €120m they are aiming for.

It is a situation the Italians will wish to resolve, particularly as they have identified Blues striker Romelu Lukaku as a potential replacement.

Arsenal may have stepped back from this race for now to pursue Benjamin Sesko, while Chelsea may have baulked at the fee, too, but it is not impossible that these sides will revisit the possibility of signing Osimhen later in the summer.