Victor Osimhen wishes to include a £103.8 million (€120 million) release clause in a new Napoli deal.
Last season, the Nigeria international, 24, scored 31 goals for Napoli, including 26 in the league. This helped the Italian giants win their first Serie A title in 33 years, and also piqued the interest of other prominent European teams, including Manchester United, in signing Osimhen.
Osimhen is thought to be eager to sign a new contract because Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has refused to sell him this summer. However, the striker wants a release clause included to his new contract so that he can fulfill his “dream” of playing in the Premier League.
Osimhen’s current contract expires in two years, and Napoli don’t want to risk losing him on the cheap in a year.
Contract talks between Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda and De Laurentiis are progressing, according to Sky in Italy. Nonetheless, the two parties are unable to reach an agreement on the release clause.
This is because Napoli wants his release clause to be much greater, at £173 million (€200 million). That figure effectively nullifies the clause because top clubs will not go near it. After paying Lille about £70 million for his services three years ago, the Serie A winners don’t want to lose Osimhen for anything more than a profit.
If Napoli agree to a £103.8m release clause and a Premier League club hits it, then Napoli will have no choice, despite a defiant De Laurentiis, speaking in May after Napoli’s Serie A triumph, declaring: “I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer, no way!”
Yet the player’s “dream” is to play in the Premier League, as he admitted in March. “I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world is an amazing feeling for me,” the former Wolfsburg striker told Sky Sports.
“A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league, but now I’m in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.
“I’m working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League some day, but like I said, it’s a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well.”
Chelsea had previously been linked with Osimhen, but Manchester United are in desperate need of a striker.Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in November and was replaced temporarily by Wout Weghorst, but he has since returned to parent club Burnley.
Erik ten Hag is interested in signing Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, although the Denmark international scored just nine Serie A goals last season and may require some time to develop into one of Europe’s top strikers. Osimhen, on the other hand, is already a prolific superstar.
However, with Atalanta far more ready to part with the Dane and at a far lower cost, that transaction appears to be on the verge of being completed this summer.
