… as team kicks off season Saturday
Nigerian professional striker, Victor Osimhen was left out once again by Antonio Conte for Napoli’s pre-season friendly defeat to Genoa.
Conte’s side were beaten 2-0 in their final pre-season fixture at the Patini Stadium in Castel di Sangro on Saturday evening.
Osimhen, meanwhile, continues to train with Napoli but has not featured in any of their preparation games this summer as the club continues to negotiate his exit.
The Nigeria international was not even named as a substitute for Napoli’s defeat to Genoa, while Conte’s side will officially kick off their season next weekend when they play Modena in the Coppa Italia on Saturday.
Earlier last week, reports claimed that Chelsea and Napoli are in talks over a move for both Osimhen and Lukaku which would see the Belgian striker return to Italy on a permanent deal, while Osimhen would move to Stamford Bridge on loan with an option to buy.
Osimhen’s representative, Roberto Calenda, subsequently wrote on X denying claims that the Nigerian striker, the top scorer of the third Scudetto in Naples’ history, will leave Napoli in a cut-price deal.
Napoli have agreed to let Osimhen leave this summer but the club’s president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, has been holding out for a team to trigger the striker’s €130m (£110.8m) clause.
Paris Saint-Germain have also held extensive talks to sign Osimhen but, like Chelsea, are unwilling to meet Napoli’s high asking price.
Meanwhile, Italian newspaper, Il Mattino, reported on Saturday that Conte has privately made it clear to Napoli that Lukaku is his first-choice target.
However, Chelsea are demanding a €35m (£29.8m) fee for the Belgium international, who is not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans for the upcoming season.
