Victor Osimhen has given the green light to a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain as the forward moves closer to an exit from Napoli.
Osimhen was not included in the Napoli squad for the 3-0 pre-season win over Mantova on Saturday as negotiations continue over the forward’s future.
Paris Saint-Germain are pushing for a deal having identified the 25-year-old as their top target to replace Kylian Mbappe, following the latter’s free transfer move to Real Madrid.
Osimhen wants to leave Napoli after the Italians missed out on European qualification last season and the Serie A side have reluctantly accepted his demands.
However, Napoli are keen to recoup as close to Osimhen’s €130m (£109m) release clause as possible for a player who has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for the club.
PSG are preparing to ‘advance’ in negotiations for the Nigeria international this week, according to Fabrizio Romano, as Luis Enrique looks to make a statement signing in the post-Mbappe era.
Osimhen’s preference had been a transfer to the Premier League with Arsenal and Chelsea interested, though no English side has shown a willingness to meet Napoli’s valuation.
Osimhen was the league’s leading scorer as Napoli won a drought-breaking league title in 2022-23 and holds the record for the most goals by an African player in Serie A. He was named African Footballer of the Year for 2023, becoming the first Nigerian to win the award since Nwankwo Kanu 24 years earlier.
