Napoli is already working on the next transfer market, the next sporting director Giovanni Manna is working on an exchange in attack.
A championship truly worth forgetting that played by Napleswhich in the last three remaining matches of A leaguewill try to at least qualify for the Conference League. It is difficult to think that the Neapolitans can aspire to a higher goal, after which it will be time for big changes. President Aurelio De Laurentiis will entrust the sporting direction to Giovanni Manna, who will be released from Juventus at the end of the championship. In fact, however, the sporting director is already working for the Azzurri, exchanging initial contacts.
The priority at Napoli is the choice of the new coachbut soon after we will think about it to the purchase of a new center forward who will have the difficult task of taking over Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker, it is now known, will leave Campania at the end of the season, with De Laurentiis waiting for nothing other than the payment of the termination clause of between 120 and 130 million euros. A very high sum that few clubs in the world would be able to pay. One of them is the PSGwho will probably lose Mbappé in the summer and needs to replace him with high-level players: Osimhen would be right for the Parisians.
Transfer market, Osimhen to Chelsea and Lukaku to Napoli, this is Manna’s idea
Yet – according to what was reported by calciomercato.com – there would be another possibility that would be seriously taking shape. Osimhenin fact, it seems is not enthusiastic about returning to France (he has already played at Lille, the club from which Napoli bought him, ed.), but he would prefer to live an experience in Premier League. Among the English clubs looking for a high-value centre-forward there would be the Chelseawho could already put the Nigerian’s replacement on the scale: Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian striker, on loan to Romeauthor of 20 seasonal goals (12 in Serie A, 7 in the Europa League and 1 in the Italian Cup) he is unlikely to stay in the capital. Serie A is his habitat, he has already shown that he can make a difference in the Italian championship and he wouldn’t mind the idea of staying. Napoli, on the other hand, would secure Osimhen’s replacement and would also have a good chunk of cash to accompany Lukaku. The Belgian’s age is holding the deal back – 31 years old next May 13th – and the salary is decidedly disproportionate for the Neapolitan coffers (around 12 million euros, ed.).
Lukaku has a contract with the Chelsea until 2026a solution could be spread the salary on several years of contract or in any case a decided one scaling of the player’s economic demands. In short, if the parties intend to come to terms with each other, they will find a solution. For now, in the meantime, i dialogues between Napoli and Blues they started to get more intense.
Article modified 8 May 2024 – 17:22
