Napoli has officially handed the No. 9 shirt to Romelu Lukaku following the collapse of transfer moves involving Victor Osimhen to Chelsea and Al Ahli. The 25-year-old Nigerian striker, Osimhen, was widely expected to leave Napoli on deadline day, but no agreement was reached.
Chelsea representatives were in Naples up until the final moments of the transfer window on Friday, hoping to secure a deal for Osimhen. The Premier League club proposed a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but personal terms between Osimhen and Chelsea could not be agreed upon, leading to the breakdown of the transfer.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli shifted their focus elsewhere and signed Ivan Toney from Brentford for £40 million, despite having initially agreed on a deal with Napoli to buy Osimhen earlier that same day. Reports indicated that Al Ahli had an offer worth £67 million accepted by Napoli and were prepared to provide Osimhen with a four-year contract, which included wages and bonuses totaling £135 million.
However, Chelsea was reluctant to match the lucrative terms presented by the Saudi Pro League club, primarily due to their concerns over Profit and Sustainability regulations. As a result, Osimhen remains at Napoli, even though his relationship with the club appears strained.
Notably, Osimhen’s profile no longer appears on Napoli’s official website, while Lukaku, the club’s new signing, has been assigned the No. 9 shirt. The ongoing tension between Osimhen and Napoli raises questions about the striker’s future at the club as the new season progresses.
