February 29th 2024.
Victor Osimhen, the star striker of Napoli, may be looking for a new club at the end of the season, according to the club's president Aurelio De Laurentiis. Despite Napoli's desire to keep Osimhen, they may be powerless to stop him from leaving as there is strong interest from Premier League clubs.
Last season, Osimhen's incredible performance of 26 goals in 32 games helped Napoli end their 33-year wait for the Scudetto. He is considered one of the most talented strikers in Europe. However, his exceptional skills have attracted attention from top clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Real Madrid. Osimhen has already made a decision about his future, and it seems he will not come cheap with a release clause between €120 million and €130 million in his contract.
Even though Napoli was determined to keep Osimhen in January, it seems they have accepted that they may lose him at the end of the season if a suitable offer comes along. De Laurentiis, while speaking to Sky Sports, said that Napoli has had many fantastic players in the past like Cavani, Higuain, Lavezzi, and Mertens, who fell in love with the club and stayed for many years. However, there are also players who are attracted to other top clubs like Real Madrid, PSG, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea. De Laurentiis acknowledged that it is difficult to stop players from leaving, especially when they have a fixed amount of money on their release clause.
When asked about Osimhen's future with Napoli, De Laurentiis replied, "Who knows who will leave? We will see." He also stated that money is not a problem for the club, and they have always made good acquisitions in the past. The only issue is the sentimental attachment to players, and seeing them leave is like losing a son. However, De Laurentiis also expressed his happiness for the success of his players, even if they leave the club.
Osimhen was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year for 2023 and his fellow Nigerian and former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel believes he could follow in his footsteps and join the Blues. Mikel joked about being Osimhen's agent and stated that he is still trying to get him to Chelsea. He believes that Osimhen loves the club and would like to follow in the footsteps of other Nigerian players like Victor Moses and Celestine Babayaro. Mikel also mentioned that London is a fantastic city, and Osimhen would prefer to play there rather than go to other cities like Liverpool.
Mikel also revealed that there is genuine interest between Chelsea and Osimhen. He is pushing Osimhen to join Chelsea and believes that he will bring something the team currently lacks, which is a prolific goal scorer. Mikel praised Osimhen's goal-scoring abilities and believes that he can guarantee 20-25 goals a season, just like Erling Haaland. He stated that Osimhen may not be the most skillful player, but his goal-scoring abilities are unparalleled.
Mikel signed off by saying, "Let's hope it works out and he comes to Chelsea and becomes a legend." He believes that Osimhen's arrival at Chelsea would bring the much-needed goal-scoring prowess to the team and help them become champions once again.
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