Victor Osimhen‘s Napoli kick off their Serie A campaign on Sunday with a trip to the Stadio Bentegodi to face Hellas Verona.
After enduring one of the worst title defenses in recent history, Napoli are eager to start afresh under new manager Antonio Conte. The Italian tactician, who has enjoyed success with clubs like Inter Milan and Juventus, is now tasked with revitalizing the Neapolitan giants and steering them back to the top of Italian football.
Napoli had a decent preseason, winning three of their four friendlies and edging out Modena on penalties in the Coppa Italia following a goalless draw in normal time.
However, as Napoli prepare for their opening Serie A fixture, they will have to do so without their leading marksman, Osimhen. In this article, we’ll seek to answer the question: why is Victor Osimhen not playing today?
Why Napoli will be without Victor Osimhen against Verona
Napoli head into their season opener with some notable absences and new additions, aiming to make a strong impression under Conte.
Among the absentees will be posterboy Victor Osimhen, who, despite still being on Napoli’s roster, has not been involved in any of their preseason friendlies and will miss this today’s clash due to ongoing transfer negotiations with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), among others.
Osimhen was conspicuously absent from all of Napoli’s preparatory matches and was also left out of the squad for their Coppa Italia tie against Modena last weekend, further fueling rumors of an imminent departure. It is also no secret that Conte is eager to bring in favourite Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, a situation that led to talk of a potential swap deal involving the Belgium international and the reigning CAF Player of the Year.
The 25-year-old joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 for a then-club record fee of €68 million. Now, with a release clause set at €130 million, his future hangs in the balance as interested clubs weigh their options.
