Napoli banish Osimhen from season squad after failed Chelsea move, gift No.9 jersey to Lukaku

Napoli has officially removed Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from their Serie A squad list for the 2024-25 season, handing the star forward’s iconic No. 9 jersey to new signing Romelu Lukaku, as the relationship between club and player deteriorates further.

Victor Osimhen's exclusion from Napoli's squad comes on the heels of a disastrous transfer deadline day, during which he was unable to finalise moves to either Premier League giants Chelsea or Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.

Despite remaining under contract with Napoli until the summer of 2026, the Nigerian forward has been sidelined as expected, with his future of the Super Eagles star now looking increasingly gloomy.

Osimhen, who currently earns approximately €10 million per season, had been eyeing a lucrative transfer to Al-Ahli, which would have seen him pocket a staggering €40 million annually over four years.

However, the deal fell through when Napoli demanded a higher transfer fee, leading Al-Ahli to opt for England's Ivan Toney from Brentford instead.

As Napoli gears up for their Serie A clash against Parma at the Stadio Maradona, Romelu Lukaku is expected to take centre stage wearing Osimhen’s now-former No. 9 shirt.

The Belgian striker, who was Napoli’s biggest signing of the season after joining from Chelsea, is expected to move straight into the Napoli first team after replacing Osimhen on the club’s squad list for the season.

In addition to Osimhen, defender Mario Rui has also been removed from Napoli’s squad list to accommodate the influx of new signings, but, Nigerian-Italian Michael Folorunsho retains his spot in the team.

Other recent additions, including Billy Gilmour from Brighton, could make appearances, while Scott McTominay is expected to debut after the international break.