The future of Napoli goal machine Victor Osimhen was always going to be a huge story this summer and reports suggest Paris Saint-Germain are set to win the race.
Arsenal and Chelsea have both been heavily linked with the Nigerian international over the past few months, with the London rivals both keen to bring in a new striker.
Osimhen, 25, is considered one of the best strikers in Europe on his day. He joined Napoli in 2020 and has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for the Italian club.
He is ready for a new challenge elsewhere but luring him away from Napoli was always going to be difficult due to release clause of roughly £110m in his contract.
However, according to reports from Italy, PSG are ‘increasingly confident’ they can formalise an £84million (€100m) deal to sign Victor Osimhen.
It’s claimed that the forward’s agents have travelled to Paris to hold talks with the Ligue 1 side and now the deal is ‘near a turning point.’
The report adds the trip has ‘yielded very positive results,’ making PSG the clear favourites to sign Osimhen as they eye a replacement for Kylian Mbappe.
Napoli plot Gyokeres, Lukaku moves
Arsenal are in the market for a new striker to replace Eddie Nketiah, who, as previously revealed, has been informed he is free to leave the Emirates this summer.
Osimhen is high on their shortlist but it now seems they’ll have to look elsewhere for a new front man, and could turn to Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyokeres as an alternative.
Gyokeres has an £86m release clause in his contract which the Gunners are considering triggering.
However, Napoli are also in the race for the former Coventry City man and reports suggest that the Serie A giants could put the funds from Osimhen’s sale towards signing him.
Another player Napoli have their eye on as a potential Osimhen replacement is Chelsea outcast Romelu Lukaku.
The Blues are desperate to find a buyer for Lukaku so they can get his eye-watering £325,000 per week wage off the books.
Antonio Conte is keen on a reunion with the Belgian international at Napoli and he is available for a fee between £21m and £25m this summer.
Lukaku has a formidable record in Italy and scored 21 goals on loan with Roma last season, so a permanent move to Napoli could be beneficial for all parties.
Lukaku’s wages make a deal difficult for Napoli though, so he will have to agree to a significant pay cut to make the move.
