Julius OkorieAside from the German Bundesliga billed for kickoff August 23, other leagues viz English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and the French League 1 have all kicked off for the 2024/2025 season.
In fact Manchester United have already enjoyed the first win of the new season after a lone goal triumph over visiting Fulham on Friday night.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe victory looks more like a revenge for the 2-1 loss to Fulham last season where Super Falcons duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi broke the hearts of Man United fans with their goals.
Despite the kickoff of the new season, discussions and negotiations on yet to be completed transfers are continuing.
The transfer window for the EPL is expected to close by 11pm and 11.30pm in England and Scotland respectively on 30thAugust, Same date of closure is applicable to the La Liga. In the Serie A it will be closing August 30 but about 7pm and about 10pm in the French Ligue 1.
Super Eagles forward and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has been in shopping list of many clubs since the close of the 2023/2024 season with many clubs including Ligue 1 side PSG, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all linked with the purchase of the 25 year old who moved from Ligue 1 side Lille to Napoli for a record fee of €77 million in 2020.
Osimhen, who scored 13 goals for Lille in 27 appearances, beefed up his game at Napoli scoring 65 goals in 108 games, to further confirm his quality and thus forcing increased interest in his services by many clubs, but none of these interests has materialized.
Napoli and Osimhen relationship does not appear to be fantastic right now as the Italian side appear to feel they have materials that can fill the gap should Osimhen eventually leave.
Sporting Director, Giovanni Manna, suggested that much. “He asked to leave,” Manna said earlier this month as quoted by Gianluca Di Marzio.
“We are calm because we have players in the squad who can replace him in the best way. However, we do not want to harm the integrity of the group and want to preserve it. We will see what will happen in the next few days.” While Napoli still have the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giacomo Raspadori in attack, additions will be needed in the absence of Osimhen and that looks to be exactly what they are sanctioning.
Chelsea one of the destinations to which Osimhen has been linked has recently fortified with acquisition of Pedro Neto from Wolves for £51.3 million, their forward line looks well-stocked with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Christopher Nkunku.
READ ALSO: Osimhen Linked With Possible PSG Move As Mbappe’s Replacement
The Blues were initially linked with moves for both Osimhen and Felix as they look to bolster their attack for this season, with reports suggesting they recently had a €45m bid for Felix rejected by Athletico Madrid.
Compatriots and former Chelsea midfield maestro, John Obi Mikel has made a case for Osimhen insisting that his potency and ability to get the goals when it matters most is what the Stamford Bridge landlords require, if they are to achieve set goals this season.
Ivorian international and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has also joined the operation get Osimhen to Stamford bridge campaign.
Hear Obi Mikel,“We want somebody who can finish, score goals, the tap-ins. Someone like Erling Haaland,” Mikel said recently. “That’s something Victor Osimhen will bring to Chelsea. I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him come to the club.”
Whether the Blues will finally settle for this appeal coming from their legends is left to be seen.
In all of this, a recent revelation indicate that Osimhen is thinking of heading back to France with intent to joining PSG who recently parted ways with their super star, Kylian Mbappe, who by the way has already settled down at Real Madrid to the point of scoring a debut goal in their Super Cup victory over Atalanta.
According to Sky Sports, Osimhen who has decided to leave Napoli, wishes to join PSG. But there is also a problem here as the report adds that PSG may face challenges in pursuing Osimhen due to existing contracts with attacking-minded players such as Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos.
“[I] understand that Victor Osimhen still wants to join PSG until deadline day as PSG is definitely his desired destination. Chelsea [are] still trying to sign the [25-year-old] striker and [I have] been told that there was also a loose approach from Arsenal weeks ago,” Sky Sports’Plettenberg wrote on X.
After all said and done, as far as Mikel is concerned, Chelsea needs a ‘killer’
“I keep saying we need a Victor Osimhen. Go and get Victor Osimhen. Please get that deal done because we need an out-and-out striker. He is a player that is going to get us goals,” Mikel restated on his Obi One podcast.
All fingers crossed if Osimhen is to seal any deal, that needs to be done in the next 13 days, so that the process of settling down can begin for the Eagles star who only recently hit the black book at Napoli over altercation with a fan at a night club.
Volunteer London Guide Already On Standby For Awaited Osimhen
Already a UK woman has already declared her unconditional love for Victor Osimhen after hearing rumors of Chelsea’s interest in signing him. Her admiration for Osimhen even prompted her to buy a Nigerian jersey. ❤️😂😂 In the video which has gone viral the fan says “This is a message for Victor Osimhen and Osimhen and me. Osimhen if you are watching hi, I understand that you interested in joining Chelsea, I am more than happy to show you round and do everything to make you join, and I mean you join, to make you want to join. She then removed Chelsea jersey to reveal Super Eagles jersey under. Concluding with We are all waiting for you in London”
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
