Osimhen excluded from Napoli’s squad, loses jersey number to Lukaku
Victor Osimhen
Osimhen excluded from Napoli’s squad, loses jersey number to Lukaku
Abdullateef Fowewe
Napoli has officially excluded Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from their Serie A squad list for the 2024/25 season.
The club has also reportedly decided to hand over Osimhen’s number 9 shirt to Romelu Lukaku with immediate effect.
Osimhen, who joined Napoli in 2020, has been a key player for the Italian club, scoring 81 goals in 133 appearances across all competitions. However, reports reveal that the 25-year-old, along with teammate Mario Rui, are no longer part of Napoli’s plans for the upcoming season.
The decision to exclude Osimhen from the squad has sparked reactions from fans. Many have criticized Napoli for their treatment of the African star, with some accusing the club of disrespecting Africa.
Osimhen’s relationship with the club’s leadership broke down irreparably in recent months when he handed in a transfer request.
However, the striker’s protracted negotiation with Chelsea and Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia failed on the final day of the summer transfer window and it remains unclear whether the striker will be given another chance to prove himself at Napoli or if the club will seek to sell him in the January transfer window.
The news of Osimhen’s exclusion has also raised questions about Napoli’s squad depth and their ability to challenge for the Serie A title this season.
However, Osimhen is still contracted to Napoli until the summer of 2026 and is on a deal worth €10m per year in wages.
Meanwhile, Osimhen and Chelsea’s contract failed due to the player’s wage demands.
Chelsea reportedly offered Osimhen a €4m initial annual salary, a bit of what he earns at Napoli.
Al Ahli was also interested in getting Osimhen into the Saudi Pro League and Napoli had reportedly accepted a £67.3 million offer from the Arabian club for the player, who would have earned £33.6 million a season but Napoli reportedly demanded an extra €5 million to the deal, provoking Al Ahli to look elsewhere and sign another striker, Ivan Tooney from Brentford.
