Napoli Manager Takes Firm Stance After Transfer Window Closes, Exiling Osimhen from Squad
Antonio Conte has confirmed that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will not be returning to the Napoli squad, effectively ending his tenure with the club. Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on his X account that Conte stated emphatically, “No player will be reintegrated,” following up with, “Those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and work in one direction all together.”
This decisive statement comes just 24 hours after the summer transfer window closed across Europe, signaling that there is no path back for Osimhen at Napoli. Throughout the summer, the striker was the subject of intense transfer speculation, with clubs like Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Ahli making bids for his services. However, all negotiations ultimately fell through, leaving Osimhen in a precarious position.
In response to Osimhen’s desire to leave, Napoli has reportedly “punished” him by excluding him from their Serie A squad for the season. Rumors also circulated that the club had stripped Osimhen of his number 9 shirt, handing it to new signing Romelu Lukaku. However, in Napoli’s recent 2-1 comeback victory against Parma, Lukaku was seen wearing the number 11, suggesting that Osimhen still technically retains his original shirt number.
Despite this, the message is clear: Napoli has moved on from Osimhen. Lukaku made an immediate impact by scoring a crucial equalizer on his Serie A debut, followed by a game-winning header from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. With new signings Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour also set to make their debuts, Conte’s squad appears to be taking shape without Osimhen.
As the major European transfer windows have now closed and Al-Ahli has filled their striker spot by signing Ivan Toney, Osimhen and his representatives are now scrambling to find a new club. Without a transfer, the reigning African Footballer of the Year faces the bleak prospect of being sidelined from football until 2025, watching from the stands as his career stalls.
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