Napoli’s newly appointed manager, Rudi Garcia, has provided insights into the return of star striker Victor Osimhen to the club, Soccernet.ng reports.
As of now, Garcia and Osimhen have not had a chance to meet, given that the former was named head coach while the latter was on a well-deserved vacation in Nigeria.
Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, announced Garcia as the successor to Luciano Spalletti, who transformed Osimhen into a prolific goalscorer and guided Napoli to their first Scudetto title in 33 years.
The 59-year-old Garcia faces the daunting task of leading Napoli to retain the championship amidst fierce competition from AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan, Lazio, and others.
To achieve this feat, he will undoubtedly rely on Osimhen’s presence in Naples and his ability to replicate last season’s outstanding performance of scoring an impressive 26 goals in the league.
During a meeting on Monday night between fans and Garcia at Carciato’s Naples Summer Village, the French manager revealed that Osimhen is set to return to Napoli on Tuesday, July 18.
The Super Eagles striker will join his teammates in commencing Napoli’s preseason program at Dimaro.
Garcia emphasised Osimhen’s contractual obligations, stating, “He’s (Osimhen) under contract. He arrives tomorrow with all the others. I repeat, when I met De Laurentiis, we met on ambition. The president is very ambitious, he did great things last year, and he doesn’t want to stop. We will have a quality team.”
However, Osimhen’s return to Napoli does not guarantee he will still be with the club when the new season starts in August.
The Nigerian forward has garnered significant interest after his impressive third year in Italy.
Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions, have already made a bid of €100 million for the 24-year-old, which Napoli promptly rejected.
Additionally, Manchester United and Chelsea remain interested in securing the services of the talented striker who netted five goals in the Champions League last season.
Yet, Osimhen could end the transfer drama surrounding him if he agrees to a two-year contract extension that Napoli have offered him. Such a move would solidify his commitment to the club and provide stability for the upcoming season.
