Osimhen could stay at Napoli – Manna

Napoli director Giovanni Manna has confirmed that Victor Osimhen’s transfer situation is ‘blocked,’ leaving the Nigerian striker’s future uncertain. With potential moves to Chelsea, Arsenal, or PSG yet to materialise, Osimhen may continue his career at Napoli if a deal is not completed soon.

The Partenopei are facing a squad crisis due to the uncertainty surrounding Osimhen’s future, with the player excluded from the team for their opening Serie A match. Napoli’s stance is clear: they will only sell Osimhen for a substantial fee, and if no suitable offer arrives, the striker could remain at the club.

This has frustrated the team coach Antonio Conte, who voiced his concerns about the club’s stalled transfer strategy, specifically blaming the failure to sell Osimhen.

“It’s an objective fact, what the coach said, the situation is blocked. Victor Osimhen is an important player, with an important value and conditions. His desire is clear,” Manna told Sky Sport Italia as quoted by Football Italia

“We tried to maintain the integrity of the squad at this moment. We are not the only club in this situation, and we’ll see what happens over the next 10 days.”

When asked if Osimhen is closer to joining Chelsea, PSG, or Arsenal, Manna remained tight-lipped. “At this time, it is not right to say what sensations there are. We are working with his entourage to find the best solution. He is an important player, so it’s not that we can just find him anywhere,” he said.
If no club meets Napoli’s asking price, Osimhen could remain with the Italian champions. “He is under contract for another two seasons, so clearly if we don’t find a solution by August 30, we’ll have to talk to the player,” Manna added.

Conte, meanwhile, expressed disappointment in the club’s transfer business so far, admitting he had “expected more” at this stage of the season.

Manna defended the club’s transfer strategy amid criticism from Napoli coach Antonio Conte, acknowledging the challenges faced in building a competitive squad while dealing with Osimhen’s uncertain future.

When asked if Conte’s comments hurt, Manna responded, “Absolutely not. We too are not happy with this situation. We wanted to be more ready for the start of the season but couldn’t manage it for various reasons. We have to work to build a team that is functional to achieve our objectives.”