As Real Madrid take on Napoli for the fifth time in a Champions League clash, Victor Osimhen has once again become the topic of discussion.
The past few weeks have been rocky for the Serie A Champions as they continue to manage relationships with their star player following a TikTok video that rubbed off the forward badly.
While Napoli has its focus on doing well against the 14-time Champions League winners, they know that their work to keep hold of their top scorer is not complete.
After a summer that saw the Partenopei swatting away interest from other clubs, including Saudi Arabia, Napoli has a battle to keep Victor Osimhen at the Diego Maradona Stadium next summer.
Real Madrid ignites interest in Osimhen again
Perhaps the three most valuable strikers in the world right now are Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen.
Los Blancos have been on the tail of the Paris Saint Germain forward but have had no luck snaring their man.
The French forward renewed his contract for another season with the Parisians, igniting talks of a free transfer next summer.
Real Madrid have placed Victor Osimhen on the list of players they plan to sign in the summer of 2024.
— @diarioas pic.twitter.com/PhIbLJO04K
— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) October 3, 2023
The Madrid giants are no longer sure of getting their man and are already seeking alternatives.
After peeking at Osimhen in the summer, Real Madrid has made him a genuine alternative to Mbappe.
With Chelsea also in the fray for Osimhen, will the Napoli star pick European royalty over the West London club?
Real Madrid has yet to fill Benzema's void
Los Blancos have struggled to fill the void left by the departure of Karim Benzema in the summer.
The Frenchman carried the can for Real Madrid following the departure of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Carlo Ancelotti has continued to fiddle with his pieces to fit in the stars in his squad, especially Jude Bellingham.
The Englishman is, so far, their top scorer this term, with the Espanyol loanee Joselu Mato close behind.
The situation at the Santiago Bernabeu suggests that Real Madrid will be in the market next summer for a striker.
Meanwhile, Osimhen has come as a genuine alternative in the Spanish capital.
Will Florentino Perez pay a premium price for Osimhen?
Real Madrid is investigating the availability of Erling Haaland next summer.
The Norwegian bomber took the Premier League by storm last season, and there is a possibility he could join Los Merengues in the summer.
He has won everything at Manchester City and would likely want to explore other leagues.
The latest reports suggest that Real Madrid has included Victor Osimhen in their strikers' shortlist.
Following the rocky relationship with his club, Osimhen could be amenable to joining the Spanish giants.
He won't come cheap as the Napoli Aurelio di Laurentiis has put a €200 million price tag on the 24-year-old.
🚨Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is confident Kylian Mbappe will be a Real Madrid player next season.
🇫🇷 🔵 #PSG ⚪ #HalaMadridpic.twitter.com/TT1DmTuFgX— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) September 27, 2023
It is a price that may be too steep for Florentino Perez to pay, but reports say the club has eyes on Osimhen, and they are watching developments unfold at the Diego Maradona Stadium.
Should Kylian Mbappe not arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu next summer, there is a high likelihood that Osimhen would turn out in the prestigious white shirt of Los Blancos.
How Osimhen, Mbappe and Haaland compare
Undoubtedly, Erling Haaland was the most successful of the three strikers last season.
The Norwegian won a treble with Manchester City and finished top scorer in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League with 36 and 12 goals.
He also had a tally of 2 goals in all competitions. Haaland has already scored eight goals this season (all in the Premier League).
Mbappe scored 41 goals last season, with 29 in Ligue 1 and seven in the Champions League.
The Frenchman has eight goals already this season (Ligue 1 – 7, UCL – 7).
Osimhen did not do badly either. The Nigerian forward scored 31 goals in 39 matches, with 26 in 29 league matches and five in six Champions League matches.
He already has five league goals this season.
| 2022/23 Season | ||||||||
| Victor Osimhen | Kylian Mbappe | Erling Haaland | ||||||
| Comp | MP | Goals | Comp | MP | Goals | Comp | MP | Goals |
| Serie A | 32 | 26 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 29 | EPL | 35 | 36 |
| UCL | 6 | 5 | UCL | 8 | 7 | UCL | 11 | 12 |
| Coppa Italia | 1 | 0 | Coupe de France | 1 | 5 | FA Cup | 4 | 3 |
| EFL Cup | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 39 | 31 | 43 | 41 | 52 | 52 | ||
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 months ago
