Arrogant Conte regrets Osimhen snub as Eagles striker is injured again
At the beginning of the season, Napoli manager, Antonio Conte made it very clear that Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is not in his plan.
Conte even refused to use Osimhen for pre-season friendly games insisting the club must sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
With the winter break approaching Conte seems to regret his decision and has hinted at a possible return for Osimhen as the Italian giants continue to struggle in front of goal with Lukaku underperforming.
The Partenopei suffered a double blow last week, getting knocked out of the Copa Italia after a 3-1 defeat to Lazio before losing 1-0 to the same opponents in Serie A, consequently surrendering their lead at the top of the table to Atalanta.
Lukaku, who has managed just five goals in 15 appearances this season, has faced criticism from fans and seemingly lost the confidence of his manager, who openly expressed frustration with his team’s attacking prowess.
“We need to improve in this respect, we get there but the final step is missing. We are working on it,” Conte told TMW after their latest defeat.
Meanwhile, Osimhen continues to flourish at Turkish side Galatasaray, where he is currently on loan. The Nigeria international has netted 10 goals and provided five assists in 13 appearances, helping the Istanbul club maintain a six-point lead at the top of the Super Lig with 38 points from 14 matches.
The 25-year-old’s impressive form has not gone unnoticed, with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United reportedly considering triggering his €75m release clause in January. However, Napoli director Giovanni Manna recently dismissed these reports.
“I already said many times that nobody has talked to us. Victor is owned by Napoli and currently playing for Galatasaray. I think a lot has been said about this, nothing is happening,” Manna told DAZN.
The striker’s potential return to Napoli could provide a solution to their attacking problems, with Conte admitting his team needs to be more clinical in the final third
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Osimhen’s latest goal came in Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory at Sivasspor, where he converted a first-half penalty to help the club push for a third consecutive league title.
The Super Eagles forward has established himself as a key figure for the Turkish giants since his arrival, with his goalscoring prowess and creative abilities making him an integral part of their domestic campaign.
Meanwhile, Osimhen has suffered a muscle injury that will sideline him for the next few weeks.
In an official statement, Galatasaray confirmed the nature of Osimhen’s injury and announced that treatment has commenced. Reports suggest that he will be unavailable for approximately two weeks, missing key fixtures including the Europa League clash against Malmo on December 12 and league matches against Trabzonspor on December 16 and Kayserispor on December 22. His expected return is set for January 2025, coinciding with the resumption of league play.
