caughtoffside
·16 October 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportscaughtoffside
·16 October 2024
There is a lot of uncertainty around the future of Victor Osimhen heading into 2025 as the striker has no future at Napoli following the events of this summer.
The Nigerian international fell out with the Serie A club ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as the 25-year-old wanted to leave Naples, while Antonio Conte’s plans had Romelu Lukaku leading his line instead of Osimhen – the Belgian signing for Napoli as part of a €30m deal with Chelsea.
With sitting on the bench for the season staring the striker in the face, the 25-year-old opted to join Galatasaray on loan, which is not what the forward would have wanted.
Clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Arsenal were linked to Osimhen throughout the summer transfer window and it remains to be seen if any of these big European clubs make a move for the Napoli loanee in 2025.
Osimhen is one of the best strikers in the world and would take many teams to another level.
The Nigerian left Napoli with 76 goals and 18 assists across 133 appearances and will forever be a hero in Naples for firing them to the Serie A title in 2023.
The 25-year-old may harbour hopes of joining one of Europe’s best teams in January but that will not be Arsenal or Chelsea.
Victor Osimhen in action for Galatasaray. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta is still open to adding a new striker to his squad next summer with Fabrizio Romano telling CaughtOffside last week that there is a possibility of Arsenal acquiring one.
When it comes to January, the Gunners are unlikely to sign a new forward with Football Insider reporting that the North London club will not activate the £68m release clause in Osimhen’s Napoli contract.
Arsenal are long-term admirers of the Nigeria international but if they want to sign the 25-year-old, it will have to wait until the summer.
The report states that there is a break clause in the striker’s season-long loan with Galatasaray which allows Osimhen to join a third club in January.
Chelsea are another that will not move for the Nigerian talent as the Blues have Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Rules concerns to deal with first.