Napoli have reportedly added Nigeria forward Terem Moffi to their list of summer targets as the club prepares for life after Victor Osimhen. The Serie A side will likely undergo a rebuilding at the end of the season, with Osimhen and Giovanni Simeone expected to be poached by other clubs.
While Osimhen’s goals will be hard to replace, Napoli have already begun making plans for a replacement. The Partenopei paid a whopping €70 million to sign the Nigeria international from Lille in 2020 and so far he has lived up to expectations.
His 26 goals powered Napoli to the Serie A title last season, while he has 13 goals and 21 league games this term. With Napoli expected to demand a transfer fee in the region of €120 million for their star striker, Moffi has emerged as a potential candidate to replace his compatriot.
Moffi has been one of Nigeria’s best players in Europe this season, having helped OGC Nice to a respectable fifth position in the Ligue 1. The 24-year-old has also hit double figures for combined goals and assists and is currently fifth in the list of top scorers in the French topflight.
Napoli turn to Moffi as Victor Osimhen’s potential replacement
Moffi netted his 11th goal of the season during Nice’s 2-2 draw with Olympique Marseille on Wednesday and his overall performances have been attracting interest from clubs across Europe. The former Lorient forward has been linked with a move to the Premier League but it appears Napoli also have him on their radar.
According to Area Napoli, the Italian side sees Moffi as a perfect replacement for Osimhen, should the latter decide to seek pastures anew at the end of the season. Osimhen’s current deal will expire in June 2026 but there’s a general feeling around the club that the Nigeria international would be playing elsewhere by the time the 2024/25 campaign kickstart.
Napoli have, therefore, turned their attention to Moffi as a potential replacement after also previously keeping an eye on Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface. Boniface has been one of the hottest strikers in Europe since moving to Germany last year and is a big part of the reason why Leverkusen have been crowned Bundesliga champions after contributing 18 goals and 10 assists this season.
Both Boniface and Moffi are seen as realistic options for Napoli, although their transfer values could shoot up if other clubs also register an interest in the summer.
Moffi valued at over €40 million by Nice
Moffi started the year on a slow note but has regained his form in recent months after becoming just the third Nigerian footballer to reach 50 Ligue 1 goals. The 24-year-old was initially dropped from his country’s squad for the AFCON in the Ivory Coast but was handed a late recall as a replacement for the injured Boniface.
Although Moffi did not play much in the Super Eagles’ run to finishing as runners-up, he returned to Nice to pick up from where he left off. The former Kortrijk forward was surprisingly dropped from Nigeria’s squad for the international friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March but he’s been performing at optimum levels for his club. Nice paid €30 million to sign Moffi from Lorient and the striker’s form has seen his transfer value rise even further.
Considering that Napoli would be demanding a hefty fee from any club that would want to sign Victor Osimhen, Moffi’s reported transfer value shouldn’t be a problem for the Serie A side.
Earlier in April, Moffi confirmed being approached by clubs from the Bundesliga and Premier League but said he wanted to stay to make his mark in France. However, the Nigerian could be tempted by an offer from any of the big teams in Europe and Osimhen’s success at Napoli could be a luring factor should Francesco Calzona’s side decide to move for the Nice forward.
