Napoli have stripped Victor Osimhen of the no.9 shirt amid his failed move to Chelsea.
Osimhen’s shirt will now be worn by Romelu Lukaku this season.
Lukaku was signed by the Serie A club to replace the Nigerian striker, with the hope that he would move the other way to Stamford Bridge.
However, with Osimhen’s future in limbo, the former Italian champions have decided to exile the player.
Napoli have also removed Osimhen from their official Serie A squad.
READ ALSO: Osimhen snubs Chelsea, opts for Saudi’s Al Ahli
Football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, wrote on X: “Victor Osimhen has been excluded by Napoli’s Serie A squad list… and also number 9 will NO longer be on his shirt.
Napoli have decided to give number 9 to Romelu Lukaku with immediate effect.”
With Osimhen now exiled from the squad, Lukaku is set to lead the line for Napoli as they prepare for their upcoming Serie A clash against Parma.
The Belgian striker, who joined from Chelsea in one of Napoli’s biggest signings of the summer, will look to fill the void left by Osimhen’s departure.
The decision to strip Osimhen of his jersey number and exclude him from the squad has escalated the tension between the player and the club.
The 25-year-old now faces an uncertain future, with his prospects of regular playing time severely diminished.
Reactions have poured in from fans and pundits alike, with many expressing surprise at Napoli’s hardline stance.
As the saga continues to unfold, the focus shifts to how Osimhen and Napoli will resolve this impasse, with the player’s career and Nigeria’s national team aspirations hanging in the balance
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