Arsenal have reportedly held talks with Napoli to outbid Chelsea as the battle for Victor Osimhen’s services becomes more intense.
Earlier in the year, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed that Victor Osimhen had signed a new contract with Napoli in December 2023 with full awareness that the 24-year-old Nigerian striker would be leaving the club at the end of the current campaign.
Though Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also linked to Osimhen, the Premier League appears to be the most likely destination for him, with Chelsea being the clear favorite.
But according to a report from a British publication, the Mirror, Arsenal and Osimhen’s agent had already met to talk about the circumstances surrounding Osimhen’s ties with Napoli.
Osimhen’s new contract with Napoli is said to include a release clause, however, it’s unclear how much it is. Most publications claimed that the release clause is between €120 and €130 million.
Osimhen has become one of the most sought-after strikers in the world after the Nigeria international scored 26 goals and provided 5 assists in 32 league games to help Napoli win the Scudetto last season.
After the season, the 25-year-old striker became the first African player to win the top scorer and the best striker of the season award in Italy.
He is currently representing the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast where the Eagles will play South Africa in the semi-finals of the tournament on Wednesday, February 7.
