Victor Osimhen is reportedly still in Nigeria following a sanctioned trip back to his motherland a few weeks ago.
The Super Eagles ace picked up an injury representing the Nigeria national football team in October and will be missing six weeks of action for both club and country as a result. He was supposed to carry out his full recovery in Naples under the watchful eyes of the Napoli medical staff.
However, Victor Osimhen asked for a leave of absence to return home for personal reasons. This is in the wake of interest in his services from the Premier League.
Family troubles keep Osimhen in Nigeria while Premier League clubs circle
Reports claim that the Osimhen family is dealing with issues surrounding his sister and brother-in-law, which is why Victor Osimhen had to return to Nigeria.
He was due to be back after sometime but he is still in the country. This is reportedly worrisome to the authority figures at Napoli, who are in danger of losing the player in the winter transfer window.
Premier League clubs Chelsea and Liverpool are reportedly intensifying their efforts to convince him to leave Italy in January.
Despite the strong statement from Napoli's management that the player is not for sale, they are keeping serious tabs on his talks. They worry that he might forgo signing a contract extension with them to discuss a potential move away from the Serie A and sign with a club in the Premier League.
There have been no indications from the player's camp that he intends to leave. However, the off-field issues are a cause for concern.
Napoli magazine director claims Osimhen not alone on Chelsea's radar
Victor Osimhen is a long-term interest of Chelsea but according to the director of fan and journalist-owned Napoli magazine, Antonio Petrazzuolo, Chelsea are also looking at another striker.
Petrazzuolo also confirmed Liverpool's genuine interest in the former LOSC Lille man. “Do Chelsea and Liverpool like Osimhen? I know of Chelsea’s interest, who are also looking at another striker,” Petrazzuolo said.
The Blues have a squad that many consider unmanageable thanks to the squad size. Osimhen's potential addition to the club will now see him compete for places with Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja.
Broja is injury-prone, however, which gives Osimhen more opportunities to show his worth in the Premier League if he ever gets the move.
Barcelona jump into the mix for Victor Osimhen despite Premier League interest
Victor Osimhen is not attracting interest from the Premier League alone. There is continued interest in the player from all across Europe.
LaLiga record champions Real Madrid were reported to be interested in his services and now, their El Clasico rivals, Barcelona, have him in their sights.
The Catalans are looking to replace the ageing Robert Lewandowski and have identified the Napoli man as one of 12 strikers that they are monitoring as potential Lewandowski replacements for the near future. Super Eagles newcomer Victor Boniface was also identified as a potential option to replace Lewandowski.
A transfer news battle in the media is about to ensue surrounding the player.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
