We have made our choice” – Napoli’s Sporting Director breaks silence on Osimhen’s first team ban.

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Napoli signed Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea before England’s transfer window closed, but Osimhen remains at the club.

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Napoli’s Sporting Director, Giovanni Manna, has spoken about his club’s decision to axe Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, from Antonio Conte’s senior squad, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 25-year-old looked set to join Chelsea on transfer deadline day, but the deal fell through due to a difference in salary expectations from both parties.

Osimhen had not trained with the Napoli senior team since the start of the month, missing their pre-season games in a bid to force an exit from Italy.

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However, the move didn’t happen, leaving the Nigerian no choice but to continue his football journey with Napoli.

The manner in which Osimhen handled the situation angered the Napoli hierarchy. As a result, the 2023 Scudetto winners handed Osimhen’s number 9 jersey to Romelu Lukaku and banished the former LOSC Lille man from all first-team appearances.

Speaking in an interview with DAZN, Napoli’s Sporting Director remained composed about his side’s ability to cope without the 2023 CAF Player of the Year.

“We’ve made significant investments; we brought in Lukaku and kept Raspadori and Simeone, which wasn’t guaranteed. Right now, we are sticking to our consistent approach that we’ve had from the start. Victor has expressed his desire not to play for Napoli, and we have made other choices. The market is still open, there are many options, but I don’t think Victor will be going to Saudi Arabia in this transfer window,” Manna said in quotes revealed by Napoli Zone.

Osimhen, having missed yesterday’s Napoli clash against Parma, seems to have lost his place in Conte’s first-team squad. It is unclear if he will be given time to play in the rest of Napoli’s games this year.