Osimhen reaffirms his contentment with Napoli

• Published On: 30 October 2023 at 19:05

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen has played down the rumors connecting him with a transfer to the English Premier League clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea. He affirms his satisfaction with playing in Italy's Serie A for Napoli.

During the summer transfer window, the Italian champions had to fend off interest in their star striker, who was the top scorer in Serie A last season with 26 goals in 32 games. Osimhen was reportedly on the wish lists of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Napoli's president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, demanded a fee exceeding £100 million to part with the Nigerian international.

Consequently, the interested clubs pursued other targets, while Osimhen continued to represent Napoli. He has had a promising start to the 2023-24 season, amassing six goals and one assist in 10 matches.

Nonetheless, the 24-year-old's future appears uncertain as he enters the last two years of his contract with Napoli. The club is reportedly facing challenges in negotiations with his agents for a contract extension.

In a separate incident, Osimhen was featured in two puzzling TikTok videos from Napoli, seemingly poking fun at the striker. This prompted a brief threat of legal action from Osimhen's agent against the club, although the situation was later resolved with a private apology to the striker.

Osimhen's challenging beginning to the season included a verbal exchange with manager Rudi Garcia when he was substituted during a goalless draw with Bologna last month. Napoli was compelled to issue a statement refuting allegations of a strained relationship between De Laurentiis and the former Lille player.

The Napoli president had hinted at the possibility of selling Osimhen in 2024 if he doesn't commit to a new contract, which had reportedly alerted both Liverpool and Chelsea, with the latter being the front-runners in the race to sign him.

However, the 24-year-old expressed his deep attachment to Napoli during a recent Twitch interview with Mario Balotelli and Emiliano Viviano, stating, "I am content at Napoli. People underestimate the challenges of playing in Serie A. From both tactical and physical perspectives, it's one of the most demanding leagues."

Although clubs in Saudi Arabia have been linked with the Nigerian international, Osimhen dismissed those speculations by expressing a preference for playing in North America, stating, "If the conditions were similar, I would opt for MLS."

Furthermore, Napoli's sporting director, Mauro Meluso, as reported by The Mirror, has unequivocally dismissed the possibility of Osimhen departing in January, affirming, "Absolutely not. The squad is quite extensive and leaves us at ease."