Napoli have insisted that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will only leave the club for the quoted fee of €75m despite the release clause’s expiry on Tuesday.
With the expiry of the release clause which has scared many suitors away, the Serie A champions could decide to lower or increase Osimhen’s price tag, but they have chosen to retain the €75m price.
Osimhen could have left Napoli since last summer after falling out with the club’s hierarchy, but the move has stalled even after the intent of Galatasaray to sign him on a permanent deal after enjoying his services on loan last season.
Both clubs have been negotiating the transfer since last week, and Napoli has turned down several proposals from the Turkish club due to their failure to give bank guarantees to complete their payment for the striker.
According to the latest sources in Italy, Galatasaray has agreed to supply Napoli with a letter of credit to ensure that they are paid in full for the forthcoming sale of Osimhen, although the player will still be sold for €75 million.
According to the sources, the agreement may still take a few days to complete.
“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 stated.
Galatasaray has agreed to pay the full €75m, but there are ongoing discussions about payment terms.
Napoli prefers an up-front fee of around €50m, with the remaining €25m paid by the end of 2026.
Football Italia reports that Napoli may settle for a slightly lower initial fee if the remaining €75m is paid within a year.
For the second summer in a row, Osimhen has sought a permanent departure from Napoli. After a move fell through on deadline day last summer, the Nigeria international went on loan to Galatasaray and is now looking to return to Istanbul permanently.
During his loan tenure in Turkey, the 26-year-old led Galatasaray to a domestic double (Super Lig and Turkish Cup), scoring 37 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
The footballer is popular in Turkey, and one Galatasaray fan went too far by threatening Napoli’s vice president during his pending transfer.
