Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis is resolute in his decision to keep Victor Osimhen at the club despite growing interest from top European teams.
Osimhen, who still has three years remaining on his contract, had an exceptional 2022/23 season with Napoli, scoring 31 goals and providing five assists in 39 appearances across all competitions. His stellar performances played a significant role in Napoli clinching their first league title in over three decades, attracting attention from clubs such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.
Although De Laurentiis had previously reduced Osimhen’s valuation from €150m to €120m, it appears that Napoli’s stance on selling the Nigerian striker has changed. Tutto Napoli, an Italian media outlet, reports that De Laurentiis is determined to retain Osimhen and will not engage in any pre-season tours involving interested clubs to prevent discussions about his transfer.
According to the report, De Laurentiis aims to resist Osimhen’s international tour participation, specifically excluding him from the tournament involving Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, and possibly Tottenham as well. Osimhen has expressed his willingness to follow the course of events and has left the decision in the hands of the president, indicating that he is not insisting on a potential sale.
While De Laurentiis acknowledges that an offer of €150m would be difficult to refuse, Napoli’s intention is to rebuild the team around Osimhen, as stated in the report. The market dynamics may play a role, but for now, the club is focused on starting afresh with Osimhen leading their attacking line.
