Credible information from various sources across Europe indicate that SSC Napoli of Italy have finally confirmed their signing of Super Eagles’ youngster, Victor Osimhen from Lille Metropole of France; but his compatriot and Russia 2018 World Cup fringe player, Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo (Simy) has missed out on a possible transfer to another Italian Serie A club, Udinese.
While ‘Simy,’ who has also been linked with the Rome-based Serie A duo of SS Lazio and AS Roma, will now have to seek another route of newly-promoted Crotone this summer, the long-awaited confirmation of Osimhen’s switch to Naples from Lille has finally come.
Megasportsarena.com gathered that this is sequel to updated details provided by popular transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano, who stated categorically on Wednesday night that Osimhen is certain to be officially announced and then formally unveiled as a Napoli player within the next 12 hours.
Romano added that the protracted deal taking the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup gold medalist and highest goals scorer to Naples is a basic €50m agreement between Lille and Napoli, but the total package is €80m, as it includes a player in exchange plus annual pay packets and adds-on.
While the transfers’ expert affirmed that the deal has already been completed, an additional report by another writer, Mohamed Bouhafsi disclosed that Osimhen has also accepted terms of the five-year contract put before him by Napoli, with option of an extra year extension at the club also inserted into the bargain.
Multiple reports from other sources out of Europe on Wednesday night further disclosed that Osimhen has finally sealed the deal with Napoli, with Lille also now expected to play their own role in confirming the development by officially announcing within the coming hours their sale and exit of the former VfL Wolfsburg of Germany and Sporting Charleroi of Belgium striker.
A couple of French and Italian media outlets added that the initial value of the agreement between both clubs is worth a princely €70m, which could rise to €80m after a number of performance-related incentives; which make it the most expensive signing in the Naples-based club’s history and the highest transfer so far in this year’s summer market.
It is also €1m more than the African record transfer fee that Arsenal of England paid to the same Lille for Ivory Coast winger, Nicolas Pepe last summer; which makes the continent’s highest all-time costliest player now 21-year-old Osimhen, who scored 18 goals in 32 games for Lille.
It has also been confirmed that the Nigerian rave of the moment will wear jersey number nine at his new base in the coming season; ahead of which Italian daily, Tuttomercarto tweeted, “All of the paperwork and contracts have been signed off for Victor Osimhen’s move to Napoli. All that’s left to do now is the announcement.”
Romano also posted: “Victor Osimhen to Napoli; confirmed and here we go! The deal will be completed for €50M + add ons to Lille. Osimhen is going to sign until June 2025 as new Napoli player;” while Gattuso told Sky Italia: “He is a good player with different characteristics. When he arrives, I’ll explain what he can bring us.”
On the other hand, a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Crotone have rejected an initial offer from William Troost-Ekong’s Udinese for ‘Simy, ‘ who was top scorer in the second-tier last season, as they plan is to retain the lanky attacker for their assault back in the top-flight.
Crotone’s president, Gianni Vrenna had earlier promised the club’s fans that Simy will remain for the 2020/21 campaign, after he had the most successful season as a professional footballer and broke his personal record of goals scored in a single season when he bagged a brace against AS Livorno in the penultimate round of matches.
Lazio have also been credited with interest in Simy, who moved to Italy from Gil Vicente of Portugal four years ago, and the 28-year-old striker inked a new deal with The Rossoblù in May 2019, which is meant to keep him at the club until at least June 2022.
