Victor Osimhen has been officially excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad list for the season, marking a significant fallout between the striker and the club. Osimhen was not included in Napoli’s 23-man Serie A squad for the season, effectively sidelining him from all competitive matches.
His squad number, 9 shirt has been reassigned to Romelu Lukaku, who has joined Napoli from Chelsea, signaling a clear shift in the club’s forward line strategy. Osimhen’s exclusion comes after a tumultuous transfer window where he was linked with moves to Chelsea and Al-Ahli. Chelsea’s offer did not meet Osimhen’s wage expectations, and Al-Ahli, after negotiations, opted for Ivan Toney from Brentford instead, leaving Osimhen’s transfer hopes in limbo.
Despite having a contract until 2026 with Napoli, Osimhen’s relationship with the club is described as “broken.” His wage at Napoli was reportedly around €10m per season, which he was unwilling to reduce significantly for a move to Chelsea.
With the European transfer window closed, Osimhen’s immediate future seems tied to Napoli unless a move to the Saudi Pro League, where the transfer window remains open, materializes. However, current reports suggest no imminent move to Saudi Arabia.
Napoli’s decision reflects a strategic move towards new signings like Lukaku and a possible reshaping of the squad under Antonio Conte, indicating Osimhen might not fit into their immediate plans. This situation leaves Osimhen in a precarious position, potentially sidelined until the January transfer window unless an unexpected development occurs in the Middle East market. The saga underscores the complexities of modern football transfers, where player-club relationships can sour rapidly over transfer disputes.
