Serie A champions Napoli have made it clear that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will only be sold for €75 million, even though his release clause officially expired on Tuesday.
With the clause no longer active—a detail that had previously deterred several clubs—Napoli now have more flexibility to adjust the asking price. However, the club has opted to stick to the original €75m valuation.
Osimhen has been expected to leave Napoli since last summer following a fallout with the club’s management. Despite interest from Galatasaray—who had the striker on loan last season—a permanent deal has yet to be finalised.
Negotiations between the two clubs have been ongoing since last week. Napoli reportedly rejected multiple offers from the Turkish side due to their initial failure to provide adequate bank guarantees for the transfer fee.
According to fresh reports from Italy, Galatasaray have now agreed to offer a letter of credit, assuring Napoli they will receive the full €75m. Still, finalising the deal could take a few more days due to bureaucratic processes.
“While the two parties are moving ever closer to closing a deal, it could still take a few more days due to the bureaucratic processes involved,” Football Italia noted.
Although Galatasaray are ready to pay the full amount, discussions are still ongoing over the structure of the payments. Napoli reportedly want an upfront payment of around €50m, with the remaining €25m to be settled by the end of 2026.
However, Football Italia adds that Napoli may accept a slightly reduced initial fee, as long as the entire €75m is paid within a year.
Talks resumed on Wednesday, with Galatasaray confirming their ability to provide the necessary letter of credit—reassuring Napoli they will receive full payment for the Nigerian star.
This is the second consecutive summer Osimhen has pushed for a permanent exit from the Italian club. Last year, a deadline-day move fell through, leading to a loan spell in Turkey where the 26-year-old flourished—netting 37 goals and providing eight assists in 41 appearances, helping Galatasaray secure a domestic double.
The striker remains immensely popular in Turkey, and the drawn-out transfer saga has sparked intense emotions—so much so that one Galatasaray fan reportedly threatened Napoli’s vice president over the delay.
