Napoli has handed the No. 9 shirt to Romelu Lukaku, as Victor Osimhen’s potential transfers to Chelsea and Al Ahli fell through.
Osimhen, 25, was expected to leave Napoli on deadline day, but no deal materialized. Chelsea representatives were in Naples until the final moments of the transfer window on Friday but couldn’t finalize a deal. The Blues proposed a loan for Osimhen with an obligation to buy but failed to agree on personal terms with the striker.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli secured a £40 million deal for Ivan Toney from Brentford, even though they had previously agreed to purchase Osimhen. Reports indicated that Al Ahli’s bid of £67 million was accepted by Napoli, and they offered Osimhen a four-year contract worth £135 million in wages and bonuses.
Chelsea, however, did not match the terms offered by Al Ahli and chose not to overspend due to Profit and Sustainability regulations. As a result, Osimhen remains at Napoli despite a strained relationship with the club.
Currently, Osimhen is no longer listed on Napoli’s website, while new signing Romelu Lukaku is now officially wearing the No. 9 shirt.
