Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has sent a word of warning to all the teams interested in signing star striker Victor Osimhen this summer, taking a firm stance on the future of his most valuable asset. Osimhen and his teammates were crowned Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years earlier this week and it was once again his goal that helped them do it.
With his 22nd strike of the season he is three clear at the top of the scoring charts in Italy and has shone in Europe, too. Five goals in six games in the Champions League helped Luciano Spalletti's team to an unexpected quarter-final, though they lost to AC Milan despite Osimhen's second leg strike.
In what has been one of the big feel-good stories across European football, Osimhen and his rise to prominence hasn't gone unnoticed by the best sides in the land with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Chelsea all monitoring him. The former two sides are the most serious candidates given their Champions League - or nearly confirmed - status.
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In a market whereby top level forwards are extremely sought after heading into the summer, Osimhen and his exploits have made him one of the most valuable and desired properties on the market. Alongside Harry Kane, there is set to be a true clamour to sign him at the end of this season.
Dealing with Napoli is a notorious stumbling block for many, though, with De Laurentiis driving a hard line on pst deals and leaving many clubs frustrated down the years. When it comes to Osimhen, that stance isn't going to change. When asked about the Nigerian star, he said: “I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer — no way”.
This comes after it was reported in Germany that it would take over £132m to purchase him, a price that even German giants Bayern Munich aren't willing to sanction for his talents. Even with the eagerness from Europe's elite to secure Osimhen's services for years to come, that it quite the price to pay, especially for tough negotiations and no guarantee of a sale.
Napoli's other key asset, and another man that has been linked with moving to Stamford Bridge, is Spalletti himself. The Italian boss, who has masterminded the incredible performances of his side this year, was on the managerial shortlist to replace Graham Potter as head coach at SW6.
That looks set to be Mauricio Pochettino's job to lose now with no evidence of interest in Spalletti becoming too serious. De Laurentiis set the record straight on him anyway. “I’ve already activated and triggered the option to extend Luciano Spalletti’s contract for next season," he said.
Once more, it looks set to be a summer of key talks with the Italian champions but not one that hasn't proven resourceful for Chelsea in the past. They worked hard to sign Jorginho in 2018 before buying Kalidou Koulibaly for £35m last summer, too. Osimhen would be on a different plane of deal to agree.
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