By Jennifer Amarachi
Victor Osimhen of Napoli has been sidelined as the Serie A club handed his iconic number 9 jersey to their new signing, Romelu Lukaku.
This comes after a summer of intense transfer speculation and a reported fallout with the club’s hierarchy, as reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Nigerian striker, who was at the center of a tug-of-war between several top clubs, has been sidelined as the Serie A club has handed his iconic number 9 jersey to their new signing, Romelu Lukaku.
Despite last-minute bids from Saudi giants Al-Hilal and English side Chelsea, Osimhen remains with the Partenopei, leaving many fans and pundits puzzled.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte, who has a history with Lukaku from their successful stint at Inter Milan, appears to have no place for Osimhen in his plans.
Conte’s preference for the Belgian striker is seen as a key reason behind the decision to strip Osimhen of his number 9 shirt.
Al Ahli then turned their attention to Ivan Toney of Brentford, finally landing the English forward for a fee of £40 million.
Toney was the easier choice for the Saudi team, having already had a medical in London on Deadline Day.
The unsuccessful transfer drama has put Osimhen in a difficult situation, as he may not be able to play again until January when the transfer window reopens.
This is in contrast to his recent achievements, which include winning the title of African Footballer of the Year and placing eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Despite the public backlash, the former Wolfsburg striker extended his contract with Napoli until 2026. Tensions between the striker and Napoli had already been building after a successful 2023 season, particularly after the club’s official TikTok account released a controversial video that many interpreted as disrespectful.
