Osimhen extension is Napoli’s priority

Despite ending a three-decade Scudetto drought last season, this could be a strangely quiet summer for reigning Serie A champions Napoli. However, renewing Victor Osimhen’s contract keeps the Partenopei chiefs awake at night as they hope to tie him down to a new deal, per TuttoNapoli.

Osimhen ran the show as Luciano Spalletti’s high-flyers coasted to a long-awaited Serie A title in 2022/23. With 26 goals from 32 league appearances, the club-record signing topped the scoring charts in Italy’s top flight to win his first Capocannoniere award ahead of Inter talisman Lautaro Martinez.

He and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia forged a formidable attacking partnership that guided Napoli over the finishing line. Therefore, Aurelio De Laurentiis is hellbent on rewarding his marquee forward with an improved new deal. Osimhen’s current contract at the Diego Maradona Stadium lasts until 2025.

But Napoli won’t take any chances this summer. They are eager to extend the striker’s stay amid growing interest from the Premier League. After Manchester United, Chelsea are now interested in taking the 24-year-old to Stamford Bridge as they brace themselves for a massive squad overhaul.

Napoli paid Lille €80 million to sign Osimhen in 2020. However, De Laurentiis won’t sell his most prized asset for less than €150m. Such an exorbitant price tag has already deterred Man Utd from entering negotiations with the Italians. But it may not be enough to put off new Chelsea owners.

In any case, Napoli won’t pursue new signings before resolving Osimhen’s contractual situation to avoid unpleasantries. It remains to be seen how the Nigerian feels about this whole situation. With Paris Saint-Germain heavily motivated to bring him to Ligue 1, everything’s still in the balance.