Napoli has officially confirmed that Victor Osimhen, their star striker, will not be returning to the first-team squad, signaling a definitive end to his tenure with the club.
This announcement follows the collapse of several high-profile transfer negotiations between Napoli and interested clubs. Despite extensive talks, deals with Chelsea and Al Ahli failed to materialize, leaving Osimhen in a state of limbo regarding his professional future.
Napoli’s director, Mauro Manna, shed light on the situation, revealing that Osimhen had made the decision to stop playing for the club last year. Manna explained that although the club made efforts to facilitate his departure, an agreement could not be reached, and both parties now intend to go their separate ways.
“Osimhen decided not to play for our club anymore last year,” Manna stated. “We tried to help, but the deal didn’t happen. The plan on both sides remains to part ways.”
Napoli’s manager, Antonio Conte, also confirmed that Osimhen would not be reintegrated into the team. He reiterated the club’s stance that players who are no longer part of their plans will remain excluded from future projects.
“No player will be reintegrated,” Conte asserted. “Those who are out of the project will remain out. We made our choices and work in one direction all together.”
According to reports from GistReel Sport, Osimhen was on the verge of leaving Napoli during the recent transfer window, with potential moves to Chelsea and Al Ahli. However, both deals fell through at the last minute, leaving the striker’s future uncertain.
It was reported that Chelsea delegates were in Naples until the very final moments of the transfer window, trying to negotiate a deal, but they were ultimately unsuccessful in securing Osimhen’s transfer.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli, who had initially agreed to purchase Osimhen, ultimately opted to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford instead, further complicating the Nigerian striker’s situation.
With the transfer window now closed, Osimhen remains on Napoli’s roster, but his relationship with the club appears irreparably damaged. Indications of his exclusion are already visible, as Osimhen no longer features on Napoli’s official website, and his iconic shirt number has been reassigned to new signing Romelu Lukaku.