18th June 2024
Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen would rather join one of his Premier League suitors that moved to PSG League, as the 25-year-old is set to leave Napoli this summer.
Arsenal and Chelsea have emerged as frontrunners for his signature, and the former Lille striker is eagerly awaiting calls from the duo, according to reports in Itlay.
PSG initially earmarked him as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who is on his way to Real Madrid, but according to Monday’s Corriere dello Sport, Osimhen is not interested in joining the French giants, being unconvinced about playing in Ligue 1. Instead, he considers the Premier League his dream destination, making Arsenal and Chelsea the favourites to land him ahead of the 2024–25 season.
Osimhen, who won the Serie A Golden Boot award in the 2022–23 season, signed a new contract with Napoli in December, which has a release clause reportedly set at €120–€130 million (£101 million).
The player recently missed his national team’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic due to injury and now looks to a new challenge after leading Napoli’s Scudetto charge in the 2022–23 season.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is notoriously difficult to negotiate with, holding firm on Osimhen’s release clause, but the striker appears set on a move to England.
Arsenal and Chelsea have regularly been linked with the Nigerian international, but it could take an offer of over £100 million to strike a deal with Napoli, who are unlikely to stray from his release clause.
The Gunners are reported to have cooled their interest recently due to the fee involved.
As Osimhen pushes for the Premier League instead of a PSG or Saudi switch, this transfer saga could drag on for months due to De Laurentiis’ demands.
