Victor Osimhen transfer battle looms after Napoli announcement

Robin Bairner

• 27 Feb 2025 03:50 CST
• 3 min read

Victor Osimhen continues to attract a good deal of transfer interest ahead of the summer, Napoli director Giovanni Manna has admitted while discussing the future of the Nigeria international star.

Osimhen is presently on loan at Galatasaray having been central to a soap opera last summer that saw him close to leaving for Chelsea, only for the Blues to fail to match his wage demands. Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG also tracked him.

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Current ETV

Victor Osimhen

F (C)

Galatasaray

Victor Osimhen

F (C)

Galatasaray

€67.2M

ETV Range

€60.5M - €73.9M

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Having scored 20 goals during his spell in Turkey, he remains a major topic of conversation, particularly since it was claimed that it is “95% likely” that 26-year-old will move to Man Utd.

Osimhen appears almost certain to leave in the summer, with his release clause having dropped from €130 million to €75m, and Manna has admitted that there are likely to be substantial rumours.

“Victor is always going to be a hotly debated topic and not just on the transfer market,” Manna told Sky Italia.

“He is an appetising player for clubs, he has a clause and everyone knows this, we are working to find a solution as quickly as possible, so that we can avoid what happened last year.”

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Who wants to sign Victor Osimhen?

Man Utd have emerged as clear front runners in the race for Osimhen, with their rivals looking at other targets.

Chelsea have gone “all in” for Liam Delap, as FootballTransfers has exclusively revealed, while Arsenal have prioritised other players, primarily RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

PSG continue to pose a threat, especially after signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, a player Osimhen worked so well with off the field. The player, meanwhile, knows Ligue 1 well having featured with Lille before a €77.5m move to Serie A.

Galatasaray have also made a play to retain Osimhen on a permanent basis, but the investment required for the striker is likely to push him out of reach of the Turkish club, where he has settled impressively for in a one-season cameo.