Napoli Eyes Hojlund As Victor Osimhen Replacement

Serie A leaders Napoli are targeting Danish and Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, as a potential replacement if Nigeria international Victor Osimhen leaves the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in the summer.

The 24-year-old Nigerian striker has been exceptional for the Parthenopeans since the start of the 2022/23 season and is the highest goalscorer in Serie A with 18 goals and four assists in 19 league appearances.

His fine form has attracted interest from top clubs in the English Premier League with Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all being linked to signing the former Lille striker. Also, big clubs like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are closely keeping tabs on the Super Eagles striker.

“The club wants to keep its best players, but if an offer of the indispensable ones from the Premier League for Osimhen it is clear that sporting director Giuntoli would not be found unprepared and the Dane would be one of the privileged solutions and in any case a talent to invest in perspective.6 goals in his first season in Serie A. De Laurentiis could even block him and leave him for one more season in Bergamo to mature,” as quoted by Napoli Magazine

Napoli made Osimhen the most expensive African player in history when the Italians paid LOSC Lille €75m and included a couple of players in the deal that saw the total fee go above €80m in 2021.

The 20-year-old who joined  Nerazzurri last season for €17m has scored six goals and two assists in 19 Serie A appearances for Atalanta and could be a big sale for the club.

Spanish outlet Sport revealed that Arsenal and Real Madrid are in a transfer ‘war’ for the signature of Hojlund in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Punch/Samuel Isaiah