Conte confirms Osimhen’s Napoli departure, eyes Lukaku

Napoli’s new coach, Antonio Conte, has confirmed that star striker Victor Osimhen will be leaving the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this summer.

Speaking on the situation, Conte, former Chelsea manager acknowledged an agreement between Osimhen and Napoli, making his case unique.

“I’m aware of his situation; I know there’s an agreement with the club, so it’s a different case compared to others,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano quoted Conte on his X account.

“There’s a pact between Victor and Napoli on his future, and I accepted that.”

With Osimhen set to depart, Conte has his sights set on Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku as a potential replacement. Lukaku, who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at AS Roma, has been linked with a move to reunite with Conte at Napoli. The pair previously worked together at Inter Milan, where Conte coached Lukaku.

Osimhen, who signed a new contract with Napoli in December 2023 with a release clause of about €130 million, has drawn interest from several top clubs. While Napoli are keen to sign Lukaku as his replacement, Chelsea are reportedly willing to sell the Belgian striker for a fee of £38 million this summer.

Regarding the possibility of reuniting with Lukaku, Conte stated, “He’s an excellent player, a top player. There’s nothing else to say. You always hope to have a player like Romelu on your side and not against you,” as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Osimhen had previously turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli in January. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were also reportedly interested in the African Player of the Year.

However, recent transfer speculations have cooled, with reports suggesting Napoli may now be willing to consider a reduced fee for the Nigerian striker.