SERIE A

It’s motion without movement! Osimhen’s stay in Napoli is confirmed

Published

1 year ago

July 16, 2023

After months of speculations on the probability of strike sensation, Victor Osimhen moving to another club in the coming football season, an end has come to all the rumours. There were speculations on interests by Manchester United, Chelsea and lately, PSG.

But the new Napoli manager Rudi Garcia has confirmed that Victor Osimhen wants to stay at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this summer.

The Nigerian in-form striker who joined the Italian club from Lille three years ago, has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United throughout this summer’s transfer window.

The Reds are determined to land a new striker and they identified Osimhen as their tagget back in November last year.

The 24-year-old, who has also been linked with the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe after a stellar 2022/23 campaign. Helping Napoli scoop their first Serie A title in more than 30 years, he plundered 31 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, as well as grabbing five assists.

Despite their interest in Osimhen, United have identified fellow Serie A star RasmusHojlund as their primary striker target. Football director John Murtough has held talks with Atalanta about the possibility of getting a deal over the line.

Hojlund is considered an attainable target for United this summer, whereas the prospect of taking Osimhen from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona looks increasingly difficult and expensive. Nevertheless, Napoli boss Garcia, who took over from Luciano Spalletti last month, has said that the striker is still hungry to achieve more success in Italy.

“Of course I have spoken to him,” Garcia told reporters. “I can assure you that he wants to stay, he is happy to be with us and still wants to do great things.”

The Nigeria international, who will turn 25 at the end of December, has gone from strength to strength since joining Napoli in July 2020. He has netted 59 goals and registered 14 assists in 101 games for the club.

Last week, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis once again reiterated his stance on Osimhen, insisting that he will stay at the club this summer.

“We will see Victor Osimhen wearing our shirt next season, that’s for sure,” he said. “Then if a more than indecent proposal arrives, we will move on and find another top talent as we did with [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen.”

SERIE A

Ademola Lookman wins Atalanta’s ‘Player of The Season Award

Published

4 weeks ago

June 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s Super Eagles winger and silver medal winner with the country at the last AFCON 2023 tournament in Cote D’Ivoire, Ademola Lookman, has emerged as the Atalanta Player of the Season.

The pint-size forward has won the converted award Back-to-back with the Bergamo-based side after his exploit in the domestic and European matches for the side.

Atalanta qualified for two finals with the Nigerian International playing an active role in the campaign.

He was instrumental to Atalanta winning the UEFA Europa League beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final with the Nigerian scoring all the goals.

The club announced on its official website on Thursday saying, “It’s him again, Ademola Lookman! The reigning champion defends his title and is crowned straight-a student for the second year in a row after staving off an unsparing competition, to the point of both bringing the contest to an overtime runoff and stepping the pose down up to the Instagram profile after the regular session ended in a tie. Kudos to Mola for his back-to-back Player of the Season!” it noted.
It went further that,” building on his 17 goals and 11 key passes in all competitions (making him the team’s second-best seasonal scorer and wingman) and with the hat-trick scored in the magical Dublin final as his main leg-up, Lookman tips the ItalianOptic branded crown once again,” the web remarked.

Aside from Ademola, the second and third-best positions were also announced as the midfield duo of Jose dos Santo Éderson and Teun Koopmeiners.

The Nigerian had a brilliant AFCON experience with Nigeria where he scored three goals and his exploits so far have put him in strong contention to win the next ‘African Footballer of the Year’ award which will come up before the end of the year at a venue yet to be announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is the reigning winner of the award alongside Asissat Oshoola who retained the version.

SERIE A

Napoli reduces Victor Osimhen’s value

Published

1 month ago

June 24, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Serie A champions Napoli are reportedly ready to drop their asking price for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as his future grows ever more uncertain.

The 25-year-old is looking for a move away from Serie A but Napoli’s initial €150M release clause has warned off any potential suitors.

Quoting from another Italian outlet, Calciomercato, Getfootballnewsitaly reports that Napoli are ready to lower the initial valuation to €100M, in the hope that they can free up much needed transfer funds for new boss Antonio Conte, who is understood to be desperate to land Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku this summer.

It is also stated that the English Premier League sides, Chelsea who were understood to be in pole-position to sign the Nigerian international, has never opened any negotiation with the 2023 Serie A champions.

The only avenues open at this time seem to be the Saudi Pro-League, where a reported salary of €40M a season has been offered, or Paris Saint-Germain, with Osimhen not keen on either option, preferring a move to the English Premier League.

SERIE A

Osimhen’s Napoli European hopes end with 0-0 draw against Lecce

Published

2 months ago

May 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

If Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen remains in Napoli in the next season, he will not have any action in UEFA competitions.

Napoli lost their slim chances to participate in European competitions next season when they were held to a 0-0 home draw by Lecce in their last Serie A game of the campaign on Sunday.

Last season’s champions Napoli finished 10th on 53 points, level with ninth-placed Torino who were beaten 3-0 at Atalanta in a simultaneous kick off on Sunday.

Despite their loss, Torino can now still earn a Europa Conference League playoffs spot if eighth-placed Fiorentina, who have a game in hand, win the Europa Conference League.

Fiorentina face Greece’s Olympiacos for the title on Wednesday.

Napoli needed a win to maintain their European hopes but despite 24 shots, five of them on target, they ended their disappointing campaign winless in their last seven games.

Substitute Cyril Ngonge had a good chance to give Napoli the lead just after the break but his shot from the edge of the box was saved by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone.

Jens Cajuste hit the far post with a low strike shortly before Ngonge hit the bar in the 64th minute.

Europa League winners Atalanta, meanwhile, secured at least fourth spot after Gianluca Scamacca, Ademola Lookman and Mario Pasalic were all on target in a 3-0 win against Torino.

They sit fourth on 69 points but can still leapfrog third-placed Juventus, on 71 points, if they beat Fiorentina in their last remaining game next Sunday.

-Reuters