The 25-year-old Nigerian striker is still waiting for his high-profile move away from the Partenopei this summer, having signed a new contract back in December that includes a €130m release clause. Paris Saint-Germain seemed seriously keen, but their highest offer didn’t break the €90m mark.

Napoli are keen to snap up Lukaku to please new coach Antonio Conte and have been in contact with Chelsea regarding a possible swap deal involving Osimhen and a large cash sum. Both players expect to leave their respective clubs ahead of the 2024–25 season.

Page eight of today’s Corriere dello Sport details how Lukaku is valued at around €30m by Napoli, despite his €44m release clause, so Chelsea would need to pay €70m as well to secure a deal for Osimhen, who is open to the move to West London.

A double loan deal looks extremely unlikely considering that both players have contracts expiring in 2026, so the operation would need to be on definitive terms. Talks between the two clubs are ongoing, and developments are expected.

Osimhen and Napoli agreed to part ways before the end of last season despite signing a new deal with the Azzurri in December, with the former Serie A champions smartly inserting a 130m euros release clause that has seen his suitors beating a retreat sooner than enquiring about his availability.

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