Osimhen demands for 10% of release clause stall contract talks, Ferdinand warns EPL clubs as Romano dismiss link to Liverpool

Napoli and Victor Osimhen are playing the waiting game concerning his contract extension. There has been no tangible progress since the summer.

 President Aurelio De Laurentiis stated that the striker had an about-face last week. The club issued a statement to clear the air.

 “There have been fictitious interpretations of the president’s words on the matter. He never said anything negative, just that, after a long negotiation, which ended with a handshake that determined the will to continue the relationship, Victor changed his mind. The president hopes it’s just a pause to reflect.”

“Since he’ll have to rehab in the coming weeks, De Laurentiis, Osimhen, and his agent Roberto Calenda will meet to discuss the future with serenity. Saying that  the relationship between the parties is icy completely out of line.”

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club and the representatives have dug their heels in. His camp isn’t averse to an extension. However, they want a somewhat affordable release clause. Plus, they believe his wages should be ten percent of that amount.

For instance, if the bar was set at €120M, the salary should be €12M. The brass doesn’t want to get to that level. Osimhen is contracted with Napoli until 2025. Therefore, an agreement is necessary before next summer. Otherwise, his valuation will plummet, and his departure will become a lot more likely.

Meanwhile, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes there would be a ‘risk’ involved in Liverpool signing the striker. Liverpool has been linked with Osimhen in the last few days.

The Napoli frontman was linked with Manchester United in the summer, but the Serie A club were not interested in allowing him to leave, and plenty has happened since then.

While Osimhen is happy in Napoli, he fell out with some at the club when the social media team posted a TikTok mocking his appeals for a penalty during a fixture earlier this season.

 “The parties [Napoli and Osimhen] had reached an agreement for the renewal, but then [Osimhen’s agent Roberto] Calenda and Osimhen went back on their word,” reported Italian journalist Valter De Maggio over the weekend. “What happened? There was the inclusion of another club, from the Premier League. I’m talking about Liverpool.

“There would be frequent contacts, but I just learned something else: there would be agreements already reached. Let me clarify: the agreements would be between the Reds and the player, therefore they would not involve Napoli. I hope [Napoli owner Aurelio De] Laurentiis will be able to keep Osimhen at least until June, but we can’t be sure.”

But Fabrizio Romano has rebuffed those claims, adding: “Some media is reporting that Osimhen already agreed contract terms with Liverpool,” said Romano. “Guys from what I’m told, Osimhen hasn’t agreed anything with any club – not even with Napoli.

 “There’s no agreement on the contract extension. Napoli made a really important proposal to Osimhen, in terms of contract, a very important salary, the biggest in Napoli history is on the table for Osimhen. But he has not decided and he has not agreed on anything with any club. So Osimhen will take his time. Reports of an agreement with Liverpool are not true. For sure, Liverpool and many other clubs are keeping an eye on the situation of many strikers. But at the moment for Osimhen, nothing is agreed and nothing is decided.”

Osimhen would be a hugely popular signing for Liverpool, even if they would need to spend well over £100million, but when the striker was being linked with United during the summer, former Red Devil turned pundit Ferdinand pointed out the risk factor in signing him.

“Osimhen is a different kettle of fish,” Ferdinand said on his podcast. “He’s 24, he’s scored goals in France and now in Italy. Won the league (in Italy) and knows how to win leagues. He’s been a No.9 at a dominant team in the football league. Is that transferable to the Premier League? No one knows that. That’s the chance United would have to take on him.

“That’s the only risk I see. He doesn’t know the league - that’s it. Ability wise and profile, goalscoring, he ticks every box, but there is an unknown factor in does he knows how to play in the Premier League. Can he adapt to the Premier League? But I wouldn’t see that as a big risk.”