Coveted striker Victor Osimhen, previously linked with a move to the Premier League, looks set to join Napoli from Lille after passing a medical at the weekend.
Both Liverpool and Manchester United had been linked with the 21-year-old Nigeria international, but it seems there are few remaining hurdles for Napoli in the transfer chase.
According to L'Equipe and reported in GetFrenchFootballNews, Osimhen 'declined' late approaches from the two Premier League sides, as he hones in on his desired move to Naples.
Lille and Napoli negotiated throughout Friday to thrash out an agreement, but the player neither underwent a medical nor signed the rumoured six-year contract with Gli Azzurri, as had been planned.
According to RMC, however, the medical did later take place on Saturday, with an official announcement now due this week.
A decision to change agents had reportedly remained the principal issue that needed resolving, as reports of eleventh-hour Premier League interest complicated matters.
More on Victor Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli.
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Medicals took place in the early hours of Saturday.
Players left Italy on Saturday evening.
Registration to be done on Monday and before Wednesday it should be made official. More to follow. Stay here! Only here!
Hoping to capitalise on this stall in negotiations, United and Liverpool - supposedly - both made last ditch approaches for Osimhen, who scored 13 goals in the curtailed Ligue 1 2019/20 season.
However, both clubs were rebuffed by the player who now does not want to go back on his decision to join Gennaro Gattuso's side.
Osimhen, who began his career at Wolfsburg, was signed by Lille from Belgian outfit RSC Charleroi for around £12.6m last summer. He took Europe by storm in his debut season, scoring 18 goals and contributing six assists across all competitions.
Lille have resigned themselves to losing their star asset after facing significant financial issues following the Covid-19 pandemic. Les Dogues, however, have remained stubborn throughout on their €81m (circa £73m) asking price for the forward - a figure which will be a club-record for Napoli, if met.
That high asking price also raises questions about the truth of Liverpool's supposed interest. The Reds famously pulled out of a deal for long-term attacking target Timo Werner over the cost, while the German joined Chelsea for £54m instead.
Source : 90min
