Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has become a €70m target for Arsenal and Newcastle United, claims the Gazzetta dello Sport, who missed out on Dusan Vlahovic when the Fiorentina striker agreed a deal with Juventus.
Newcastle are flush with cash under new ownership from the PIF, the Saudi Arabia investment fund, but are also lacking much appeal because they risk relegation from the Premier League.
Similarly, Arsenal are in dire need of a striker and look like missing out on Champions League qualification again.
Nonetheless, they were both prepared to pay the €75m asking price for Fiorentina striker Vlahovic, only for the Serbian to insist on Juventus instead.
The English clubs could still turn to Serie A for a new centre-forward, as the Gazzetta dello Sport suggests Newcastle United are targeting Osimhen.
Napoli paid €80m to sign the Nigeria international from Lille in 2020, although that transfer is the subject of an investigation into inflated fees over youth team players in part-exchange.
The 23-year-old is extremely quick and has already scored nine goals in 16 competitive games for Napoli this season.
He has been beset by injury problems, including multiple facial fractures after a clash of heads against Inter, while he contracted COVID-19 twice, the latest forcing him to miss the Africa Cup of Nations.
According to the Gazzetta, Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis would be prepared to sell for at least €70m.
Osimhen, sirene dalla Premier. Ma ADL non fa sconti: servono più di 70 milioni https://t.co/J1S6AcPEGl
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) January 26, 2022
No Mertens, no Insigne, no Osimhen?
Not likely.
After the way they have kept Kouliably over the years, why the hell would ADL sell Osimhen for a loss, let alone now where he is a raw talent still?
Napoli, please sell him to Newcastle
For 200m
Won’t be a loss. Yes they purchased for 80 mil euros but really he knows it was probably 40 or 50 as they just inflated the values of the youth players. So really making profit of 20 to 30 mil in real money.
In FFP terms he also makes profit as he’s been there 2 years so his value now is effectively between 40 to 55 mil depending on how long left on his contract, so he will also make a profit there too.
Osihmen has 3.5 years left on his contract. Napoli should keep him for at least 1 or 2 more seasons. If he can put together a fully healthy season and lead the Serie A in scoring his value should skyrocket. He would still only be 24-25 years old. Juventus just bought Vlahovic for €75m and his contract was set to end after next season.
Also, with Insigne and Mertens gone what is the alternative for Napoli, Petagna aka Meatball? I can’t watch a full season of that guy starting. Napoli would be lucky to finish top 7 with him as their main scoring threat.