Osimhen exiled from Napoli after transfer failures
Napoli director Giovanni Manna insists there are "many options" still open for Victor Osimhen, who has been exiled from its squad for the Serie A season after failing to clinch a transfer.
Osimhen was linked with a move to Premier League club Chelsea or Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in the recent transfer window, yet a switch failed to materialise.
Chelsea was reportedly unwilling to meet his wage demands, while Al-Ahli signed Brentford's Ivan Toney after Osimhen refused to move to Saudi Arabia.
Osimhen, who scored 26 goals in Napoli's Scudetto-winning campaign of 2022-2023, has now been left out of Antonio Conte's Serie A squad, with Romelu Lukaku brought in as his replacement and taking the Nigerian's number nine shirt.
Lukaku also scored on his debut to inspire a vital late comeback win against Parma in stoppage-time in Napoli's most recent Serie A fixture.
Osimhen now faces the prospect of sitting out four months until the January transfer window opens, unless Napoli can find a way to move him on.
"The situation is very clear. Victor expressed his absolute desire to not stay at, or play for, Napoli," Manna said.
"We tried to make him happy. Then there was a demand and an offer, and we thought we had concluded negotiations, but then it didn't go through.
"He expressed his desire to no longer play for Napoli and so we made other choices.
"The transfer market is still open in some countries, so there are many options, but I don't think Victor will go to Saudi Arabia."
After the Parma win, Conte confirmed Osimhen was not part of his plans, saying: "No player will be reintegrated.
"Those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and work in one direction all together."
