Serie A leaders, Napoli, are prepared to waive their pay cap in order to ensure that their prized forward, Victor Osimhen, stays in Naples for another season after scoring 14 goals in 19 games to take the top scoring spot in Italy so far this season.
The Super Eagles striker, who is arguably Europe’s second-hottest goal scorer right now after Erling Haaland, has caught the attention of big clubs during the January transfer window.
Italian media says that Coach Luciano Spalletti, and the Napoli board are in talks to pay Osimhen more than the club’s salary wage maximum of €3.5 million per player per year in order to keep the team’s pursuit of their first Scudetto in 33 years going.
Napoli has 50 points after 19 games to lead the Italian premier division. With 38 points from the same amount of games as Napoli, second-placed AC Milan is 12 points behind them.
According to Area Napoli, Napoli is willing to pay Osimhen €7 million year, which is double the club’s maximum, in order to keep the Nigerian international happy there while his agents keep their eyes off some of the lucrative offers that are heading their way.
Up until recently, Manchester United, a powerhouse in the English Premier League, was the front-runner to sign Osimhen. The Red Devils’ pursuit is thought to have slowed down, though, as a result of the rumored $100 million asking price that Napoli reportedly placed on him.
Osimhen, who is only 24 years old, is regarded as one of the top attackers in the world right now. He is a quick finisher in front of goal and has good pace.
He demonstrated that in France with Lille, and now he is reiterating it in an Italian league that is even more difficult.
In 171 appearances, Osimhen has scored 80 goals in his career. The Nigerian striker, whose age is still very much in his favor, could surpass 200 goals if he keeps scoring at this rate.
Osimhen was given a $100 million price tag by Napoli, despite the claims of certain ex-Manchester United players that he wasn’t worth it. However, some other pundits have said that if Osimhen had been a European player, he might have been worth more. They identified other younger English players with lower skill levels than Osimhen who were awarded greater payouts.