Napoli’s director, Giovanni Manna, has confirmed that Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, Victor Osimhen has expressed his desire to leave the Italian club, which could be a major boost for Chelsea and his other suitors.

Despite already securing a deal to sign Atletico Madrid’s Samuel Omorodion, Chelsea are still in need of a prolific goal scorer and has maintained their interest in Osimhen. The 25-year-old Nigerian striker is reportedly a top priority for Chelsea as they look to strengthen their forward line for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.

Osimhen’s impressive performances have garnered attention from several top clubs in Europe, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Liverpool. However, his €130 million release clause has deterred many suitors, leaving Chelsea as the primary European club interested in signing him.

Note that Osimhen has been absent from Napoli’s pre-season fixtures and was also missing from their Coppa Italia first-round match against Modena.

Last weekend, Napoli’s director confirmed Osimhen’s desire to leave the club, stating that the striker wants to depart and that the club is prepared for his potential exit.

“Victor Osimhen has asked to leave the club,” the club’s director told reporters in Italy.

“He wants to go. The situation is clear; there were already chances for his exit last summer. Victor wants to leave. We will see in the next 20 days.

“Victor is a player who wants to leave, and last year there was already a situation in place. We are calm because we have players in the squad ready to replace him.

“Osimhen is a strong player, but we want to protect the integrity of the group, and we prefer to protect the harmony of the group. But we will see what happens over the next 20 days.”

This development could lead to negotiations between Napoli and Chelsea, especially considering Napoli’s interest in signing Romelu Lukaku from Stamford Bridge.

Although Osimhen’s agent has initially rejected the idea of a swap or loan deal, the player’s eagerness to move away from Napoli may force a reconsideration.