Victor Osimhen was omitted from Napoli’s matchday squad entirely over the weekend as he plots a move away from the Serie A side.
The Nigeria international was a key figure as the Partenopei won the 2022/23 Italian title but the club endured a difficult defence the following campaign, finishing tenth as Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona were all handed spells in charge as manager.
Napoli took on Albanian outfit Egnatia on Sunday night but there was no place in the squad for Osimhen. Instead, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Matteo Politano, Giovanni Simeone and Cyril Ngonge scored in a straightforward 4-0 victory.
What the omission means for Osimhen’s future is unclear. Fabrizio Romano reports that the 25-year-old wants to leave this summer, with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain named as two potential destinations.
However, Napoli’s talks with PSG have hit a impasse, while the Blues aren’t keen to pay the €130m (£110m) release clause to sign him.
Napoli are interested in Chelsea’s outcast striker Romelu Lukaku and also open to including him in negotiations for Osimhen, according to The Guardian.
Belgium international Lukaku, who featured for his country at Euro 2024 over the summer, spent the past two seasons in Italy on loan with Inter and Roma, having fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge quickly after his return in 2021.
The former Manchester United striker still has another two years left on his contract with Chelsea but is keen to link up with Antonio Conte, who has taken the reins at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in his first job since leaving Tottenham Hotspur.
If Chelsea were to make a breakthrough in their discussions with Napoli over Osimhen, the striker could form a mouthwatering attacking partnership with Cole Palmer, who contributed 22 goals of his own during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
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