NAPOLI superstar Victor Osimhen has been axed from the squad and stripped of his signature shirt number after his failed move to Chelsea.
Osimhen, 25, has been the Italian side’s top star since his arrival from Lille in 2020 as he led them to their first Serie A title in 33 years and amassed a total of 76 goals and 18 assists in 133 appearances.
However, the striker has now found himself out in the cold following the Blues’ failed last-ditch effort to sign him on Friday’s transfer deadline day.
The Nigeria international also came close to moving to Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli but they instead landed Ivan Toney from Brentford.
According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Napoli’s new manager Antonio Conte has wielded the axe and removed Osimhen from his senior squad.
Conte also took his No9 shirt away and gave it to his replacement in attack Romelu Lukaku, who reunited with the Italian tactician following his move from Chelsea.
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Now Osimhen is facing the possibility of being sidelined with the reserves until January.
The Nigerian’s contract with Napoli also doesn’t run out until 2026, meaning he might be stuck at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium until next summer.
Chelsea made a final offer to the centre-forward in the dying hours of the summer window but did not hear back from him.
There were even reports of club chiefs flying to Naples on Friday to persuade the forward to join, but to no avail.
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Al-Ahli were understood to have agreed a £67million deal with Napoli.
Osimhen looked set to move to Saudi Arabia but demanded wages worth £500,000-a-week.
That was a figure neither Chelsea nor Al-Ahli were willing to splash out.
Osimhen’s options are running thin, however the Saudi transfer window isn’t running out until
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
