La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Victor Osimhen is growing frustrated with his situation at Napoli, but there have been no offers from top clubs. The newspaper highlight the strikers outburst yesterday on Instagram Live, where he lashed out at Finidi George, the resigned Nigeria coach. George accused Osimhen of not being fully committed to the national team, alluding to the seriousness of the injury that kept the Napoli striker from World Cup qualifiers against South Africa (1-1 draw) and Benin (2-1 loss).
Gazzetta report that George’s comments infuriated Osimhen, who felt the need to publicly defend himself. “Don’t let my name come out of your mouth, no one can tell me what to do. I’ll post photos in my story, I’ll tell everything,” said an agitated Osimhen, pointing his finger and threatening to reveal uncomfortable truths.
Adding to Osimhen’s agitation are his prospects for next season. So far, silence. Chelsea, initially the keenest club, have backed off due to their managerial change and financial limits. Attempts to engineer a swap for Lukaku, Conte’s preferred player, stalled for the same reasons.
Arsenal admire Osimhen but have only expressed interest, not enough to make it a concrete option. Paris Saint-Germain, expected to make an approach, have made no significant move, instead trying for Kvaratskhelia – a non-starter for Napoli.
The lucrative Saudi Arabian option lingers, but Osimhen wants to stay in Europe and play in the Champions League.
In Castel Volturno, the situation is being carefully evaluated. Unless Napoli lower their demands, they could be stuck with an unhappy player on three times the president’s salary cap – a burdensome weight without European football.
Sporting director Manna already has a list of potential replacements, including Lukaku, Girona’s Artem Dovbyk (€40m clause), and Feyenoord’s slightly pricier Santiago Gimenez. Talks with Dovbyk’s representatives are expected soon to gauge the operation’s feasibility – if needed.
