Conte keeps mum on Osimhen’s future

Antonio Conte, the new manager of Napoli, has declined giving a definitive statement regarding the future of striker Victor Osimhen, despite the fact that it has been confirmed that the Nigerian will depart the former Serie A champions this summer.

The 25-year-old Super Eagles star is reportedly seeking a transfer from Serie A, but Napoli’s initial €150M release clause has reportedly deterred potential suitors, including Chelsea and Arsenal.

This week there were claims that the Partenopei was even ready to lower that initial valuation to €100M, in the hope that they can free up much needed transfer funds for Conte, who is understood to be desperate to land Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku this summer.

But at his unveiling to the local media yesterday, the 54-year-old former Juventus and Inter Milan, said he was aware of Osimhen’s current status at the club hence his stance not to jump into unnecessary conclusion.

“As far as Osimhen is concerned, just as I knew very well about the situation of Kvara, Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, Lobotka, on whom I had an absolute veto, I know very well about the Osimhen situation,” Conte , a silver medal winner with Italy at USA 1994 FIFA World Cup, reportedly said. “I know that there are agreements with the club, it’s a totally different situation, which I’ll witness.

“Then if you ask me about the player, he’s a top player, but I can’t get into any discussions about Osimhen because these are previous agreements,” he added.

Elsewhere in Lagos, holidaying Osimhen was on Monday one of the very-very-important-personalities that graced the mother-of-all-weddings of Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido who confessed he was star struck when he saw the Nigerian ace striker.

A lot of pictures and videos of the ceremony have surfaced, and one of them was from when Davido met with Osimhen. The Afrobeats star, who is a force in the music industry looked quite pleased to have Osimhen at his wedding, and he admitted that he was star struck.

Also at the star-studded wedding was f ormer Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha as well as the immediate past NFF President Amaju Pinnick amongst other celebrities.