What next for Osimhen and will Lukaku replace him at Napoli?

Victor Osimhen extended his Napoli contract in December until 2026

Things have not been plain sailing for Napoli recently. They have not exactly gone to plan for star striker Victor Osimhen, either.

Napoli followed a Serie A title win with a dismal 2023-24, and went through three managers last season as they finished 10th - 41 points off the top.

For Osimhen, meanwhile, it is not matters on the pitch which have complicated things, it is speculation over his future.

The 25-year-old has been angling for a move for more than a year and his club would be content with getting a big earner off their books.

So far no-one has been willing to match the lofty release clause of a striker who became Napoli's record signing when he joined from Lille for an initial £65m in 2020.

Osimhen now finds himself in limbo at a club who have seemingly accepted his departure, and appear keen to replace him with Romelu Lukaku.

'Osimhen dreams of Premier League'

Osimhen is at Napoli's pre-season training camp but, according to Naples-based journalist Vincenzo Credendino, the Nigeria striker is only there to keep fit.

"He's not playing friendly matches against other teams," Credendino, who reports for CalcioNapoli24 TV, tells BBC Sport.

"Sometimes he doesn't play the matches between the Napoli players. He just tries to keep himself in a good shape but he's not risking anything because he's very likely to leave Napoli sooner or later this summer."

Osimhen's departure seems only matter of time. He told CBS Sports in January he had already "made up my mind" about the future.

Napoli chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis said at the time the forward would join either "Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain or an English club".

Credendino says PSG seemed the most likely destination, but the French champions do not appear willing to match a reported release clause of £111m.

Chelsea have shown interest in Osimhen but his price tag and wage demands have been off-putting this summer, while Arsenal are the latest Premier League club to have been linked with the striker.

Credendino says Saudi Arabian clubs have shown interest, but Osimhen does not want to go and instead "dreams" of playing in England.

He adds: "Since the day he arrived in Napoli we started speaking with his friends, and since the first day his agent and relatives have always told us that his dream is to go to the Premier League."

'Conte wants Lukaku, Lukaku wants Napoli'

Lukaku scored 47 Serie A goals in two seasons under Conte at Inter Milan

Should Osimhen leave, it could pave the way for Lukaku to join Napoli from Chelsea.

Credendino says new Napoli manager Antonio Conte - who managed the Belgian at Inter Milan - is thought to be in regular contact with the striker.

The 31-year-old currently earns £325,000 a week and is believed to be the highest-paid player at Chelsea, but has spent the past two seasons on loan with Inter and Roma.

"Someone told us that he's even training himself following the advice of Conte, even about the food he's eating," explains the Italian journalist.

"I would say that Conte wants Lukaku, Lukaku wants Conte - Lukaku wants Napoli."

It is understandable Lukaku would want to link up with Conte again, as he enjoyed the most prolific seasons of his career under the Italian.

He scored 34 goals in all competitions during Conte's first campaign, and followed that with another 30 the following season as Inter won the Serie A title.

In the three seasons since, Lukaku managed 15 at Chelsea, 14 when back on loan at Inter, and 21 at Roma last season.

Napoli fans took to wearing masks with Osimhen's name or number on during their title-winning season

When international interest in Osimhen started, it was spurred by an incredible season - a season Napoli fans will never forget.

He netted 26 times in Serie A to help them win the league for the first time in 33 years, becoming a hero in the process.

Napoli fans took to sporting replicas of the protective face mask Osimhen wore while recovering from an eye-socket injury.

But last season was not as easy, despite scoring 15 times in 25 Serie A games as Napoli finished mid-table.

The forward missed some of the season while playing in the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as suffering a hamstring injury in October.

"All the other teams know that the salary is a problem for Napoli and it's a problem Napoli has to solve, so for the moment nobody is paying the money of the release," says Credendino.

With the transfer saga still rumbling, what do Napoli fans – displeased by their team's performance last season – make of it?

"There's one side that says Osimhen is a very good striker, but it is a danger for the team," says Credendino.

"These fans say 'he's a good striker but he earns a lot of money - if we sell him we can buy other good players so let him go'."

Others are just happy to enjoy watching him play.

Credendino adds: "Osimhen is one of the best strikers in the world, so if one of the best strikers in the world plays for your team you are just happy - no matter if he is [earning] 10m euros per year. It's not your business."