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By: Abiodun Adewale.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen on Tuesday joined the rest of the team in Dimaro, northern Italy, as the Serie A champions continue their pre-season training ahead of the 2023/34 season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
After new manager Rudi Garcia had confirmed his imminent return, Osimhen’s arrival was announced by the club on Tuesday via its Twitter handle with a picture of the player in their new training kit with the caption ‘Osi’.
Napoli commenced pre-season on Monday July 10, but Osimhen was generously granted an extended holiday by the club following his national team duties with Nigeria. He scored twice during an AFCON 2023 qualifier to help the Super Eagles beat Sierra Leone 3-2 and qualify for the tournament in Cameroon next year.
While also in Nigeria during the holiday, he visited his neighbourhood in Olusosun, around Ikeja, Lagos, where he embarked on different projects to give back to the community.
The 24-year-old Nigerian international played a pivotal role in Napoli’s triumphant Serie A campaign last season, securing their first league title in 33 years. Additionally, he emerged as the top scorer in Italy’s topflight with an impressive tally of 26 goals in 32 games during the 2022/23 season.
Such outstanding displays have made him a transfer target among prominent clubs such as PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich.
FootballItalia reports that Osimhen is Paris Saint-Germain’s primary target if Kylian Mbappe departs the club this summer.
Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 in a deal worth €75m. He has scored 50 goals in 83 Serie A matches adding seven in 11 Champions League appearances.
His current contract at the Stadio Maradona expires in June 2025.