Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli have submitted an initial bid worth in excess of €65m to Napoli for Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has expressed a desire to leave Napoli this summer with the Italian side working to help facilitate an exit for the Nigeria international. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have each held talks with Napoli over a potential deal but have been unable to reach an agreement on a transfer.
PSG were reluctant to meet Napoli’s demands for the 25-year-old, who has scored 77 goals in 136 appearances across his four seasons with the club. Chelsea, meanwhile, have also held several conversations to work out a deal.
Al-Ahli have now made their move with an official offer for the forward. Fabrizio Romano is reporting the proposal is worth in excess of €65m (£55m) for Osimhen, which falls short of Napoli’s valuation of the player.
Osimhen initially expressed a reluctance to move to the Saudi Pro League but will consider all options available to him.
However, the 2023 African Footballer of the Year is ‘not open to a loan’, which has complicated Chelsea’s pursuit of the player. His wage demands also appear problematic for the Blues, who have spent heavily in recent transfer windows.
Head coach Enzo Maresca hinted last week that Chelsea could move to sign a striker before Friday’s transfer deadline, insisting the club were interested in signing a number nine who could ‘make the difference’.
PSG are reportedly unlikely to resume their pursuit of Osimhen despite the player’s interest in a transfer to Paris and an injury to Goncalo Ramos. The latter is set to be sidelined for around three months with a fractured ankle, leaving PSG short of attacking depth following the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
Osimhen has not featured during Napoli’s opening two fixtures of the 2024/25 Serie A season amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding his future. Antonio Conte’s side are understood to have agreed a deal to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea as a replacement.
