Victor Osimhen to join Liverpool as Napoli target Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa in swap deal: Report

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has reportedly confirmed the team he would like to join next—and it is neither Galatasaray nor Manchester United, as some rumours had suggested.

 

The Napoli forward wants a move to the Premier League, with Liverpool FC, the defending champions, named as his preferred destination, according to a recent report. It also claimed that unofficial talks have already taken place. Napoli are interested in LFC striker Darwin Núñez and winger Federico Chiesa, and initially proposed a two-for-one swap deal with the English giants. However, it is proving difficult to execute, despite Osimhen's market value being considerably higher than both players combined. As things stand, Napoli may agree to a Darwin Núñez-for-Victor Osimhen deal and submit a separate bid for Chiesa, the article stated.

 

Victor Osimhen reportedly had a falling out with Napoli boss Antonio Conte, which led to him spending a year on loan with Galatasaray. He rediscovered his red-hot form in the Turkish Super League, becoming the top scorer with 25 goals for the champions (36 goals in all competitions).

 

With his issues with Conte unresolved, Osimhen is said to be adamant about leaving Naples, despite having scored 76 goals in 133 games for the Italian champions. However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis remains determined not to sell him to a direct Serie A rival. In this scenario, several top Premier League clubs entered the race for the Nigerian. Arsenal dropped out after choosing to pursue either Benjamin Šeško or Viktor Gyökeres instead—leaving Liverpool to battle it out with Manchester United. It is safe to assume that European football and Liverpool’s consistent top-three finishes in recent years may have influenced Osimhen's preference for the Merseyside club over their historical rivals.

 

It was TeamTalk that reported Napoli's initial demand for two Liverpool players in exchange for Osimhen rather than just one. While Chiesa, who has Serie A experience with Juventus, struggled for playing time in England due to injuries, Núñez has been criticised for inconsistency. The Uruguayan was previously linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but nothing concrete materialised. After early informal discussions, Liverpool have reportedly convinced Napoli to accept Núñez in a straight swap for Osimhen, rather than insisting on both players being involved in the deal, according to TeamTalk. Although negotiations are expected to continue, no details about the asking price have been disclosed.

 

Liverpool have already spent heavily this summer, having brought in Bayer Leverkusen duo Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz.

 

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